Ghost Hunt oneshots
by AmyNChan
Summary: Each one complete and probably thought up on the cusp of sleep. XD Story 33: Poem! Forbidden Light
1. Hair Everywhere

_**14AmyChan: This is what happens every time I try to work on a speech….**_

_**Bou-san: Your speech isn't even about hair! It's about computers!**_

_**14AmyChan: I know, I know. This is where my random thoughts take me…**_

_**Bou-san: Amy-chan doesn't own Ghost Hunt!**_

Some people define others by the color of their hair. Weird, right? Weird, but somehow accurate.

I mean, look at that one over there. The one with the black hair. Dude doesn't say a word, unless he's ordering somebody around. Serious, no nonsense, and really frigging secretive. It really annoys all of us when he doesn't share his thoughts with the rest of us.

The guy standing next to him? His hair's lighter, but only by a little bit. And I mean a really, really, really little bit. They've both got no-nonsense attitudes, but at least _he_ comes out and talks every once in a while. And not to bark orders at us, either.

The creepy kid with the glasses? He smiles a lot, it kind of freaks some people out, but that's just him. Wait until he opens his mouth, then you'll start to believe the grey hairs on his head. I swear, he acts more like an old man than my grandfather. No disrespect meant, grandpa. He starts going on and on about all the things that happened when he was younger, but he's only seventeen. Then again, he always seems to know things he shouldn't… maybe those grey hairs are _earned_.

That girl over there? Her hair is a bit lighter than the first two guys, and it kind of fits. She walks around, prim and proper, and usually has a no-nonsense demeanor. The only time that breaks from her is when she's arguing or acting petty, but most of the time, she's too snobbish for her own good. She better watch out for when her black hair—seriously, though, it looks almost like a really dark grey—gets white streaks in it.

The guy she's talking to? His hair is really frigging light. Of course it is, it's blonde! _And_, he's one of the nicest kids I've ever met. He's super polite and eager to help anyone and everyone. So yeah, he's a priest, so that would help with his demeanor, but I'm telling you, the hair has _something_ to do with it!

OW! Old hag! Her hair should be grey already—I swear I already saw some of those stubborn roots showing—but noooo. It has to be _red_. Like red-hot anger! I swear the woman carries around bricks or dictionaries or something, that bag of doom _hurts_! I guess her hair is just supposed to warn everyone that she's got one _hell_ of an anger issue! Though why she uses me as a punching bag, I'll never know. I just point out the facts with her. She's old and tacky. And she wears too much makeup. She'd be fine just without it. Just saying.

Ah, little Jou-chan! She's the one with the tea and the light brown hair that's kind of sticking out everywhere. It's a bit reckless, just like her. And it's light, just like her. Kind of that earth-tone, she tries to be calm, but that usually fails. She's reckless with her own health and is stubborn like a rock. And she's light, she likes to give a smile and a laugh to anyone she meets.

Me? Ah, I've got long dirty blond hair. Fits my amazing personality, don't ya think? How? I dunno. Maybe it's the fact that I do what I want, but I have enough sense to keep out of the way when needed? Or maybe it's the fact that I draw attention to myself by my awesome nature?

Some people judge others based on how their hair looks. Weird, right? Yeah, weird, but it somehow works.

"Old man, what are you thinking about?"

"Nothing that concerns you, old hag."

"WHY YOU—"

"OW!"

Yeah, that old hag definitely has red hair.

_**14AmyChan: okay, now that that's done, I can work on my speech and then some more SPR ITN.**_

_**Bou-san: Go on, then! *shoos 14AmyChan away***_

_**14AmyChan: *working now***_

_**Bou-san: If you enjoyed the ramblings of Amy-chan's brain, leave a review. I'm gonna get some coffee. *goes away***_


	2. Strange Tendancies

**_14AmyChan: just a little one shot before bed._**

**_Lin: AmyChan does not own Ghost Hunt_**

It was a tendency none of them were aware she possessed. So, naturally, one of the first notions that occurred to him was that she might have been possessed. He, however, threw that idea out of the window when she refused to answer to any of his promptings. When one is possessed, they typically still have the ability to interact.

That led him to this conclusion: sleepwalking. She had sleepwalked from the girls' room passed the base where he and Lin had remained vigilant. Trusting the Chinese man with the equipment, he had followed her as she had bypassed the kitchen, the back door, and was finally stopped by the huge oak tree in the back yard. He had just _barely_ managed to catch her before she had fallen and hurt herself.

Hefting the girl into his arms, he made the journey back to the girls' room, gently depositing her into her bed and covering her up. He left shortly thereafter and returned to the base swiftly. Silence reigned until he broke it.

"Have you and Naru-bou ever caught Ayako sleepwalking before?" the monk finally asked. Lin gave a curt shake of his head. Takigawa nodded in thought. "Weird old hag..."

**_14AmyChan: *zonks out*_**

**_Lin: *continues watching monitors* read and review_**


	3. Love?

_**14AmyChan: Okay, you guys might be hating on me because I'm so late with the next chapter, but I've hit a bit of a block with it... pleasedontkillme!**_

_**Mai: to try and get her writing going again, Amy wrote this.**_

_**Naru: Chan-san does not own Ghost Hunt**_.

She loved him. She hated him. Admired him. Abhorred him. Respected him. Resented him.

She loved him. She loved the fact that he was so unattainable. The fact that no one else seemed to look closely enough to his actions to recognize that he actually did care. She loved the way he looked, the way he talked, and his confidence. She loved _him._

She hated him. She hated how far out of reach he was. The fact that he had so much pride and refused to lean on others when he really needed it. She hated that he was so vain sometimes. She hated _it._

She admired him. His determination and work ethic was worth admiring. Admired his keen mind and intellect, sometimes even wished she could have a fraction of that brain power. She admired his drive and his perspective on occasion. She admired _him._

She abhorred him. His stubborn nature and unrelenting glare made her loathe him sometimes. His sharp mind was often a weapon against her and she detested that. His view on the larger picture more often than not collided heavily with her own view on the here and now. She abhorred _it._

She respected him. He was a professional at whatever he wanted to do. If he did not have the knowledge of how to perform a task-a rarity in itself-he would within a few hours. And then he would be a professional at it anyways. And, even if his own method was callous, he gave a minimal amount of inherent respect to every person he met. There was always as much of a way to lose respect with him as there was to gain. He was a man where you earned your treatment from him. She respected _him._

She resented him. She resented the fact that he seemed to glide through whatever came his way, that he was always flawless in whatever he attempted. She resented the fact that it seemed-in her eyes-that she had lost respect out of him rather than earned it. She resented that he had earned such a high place in her life while she was still left as a little person in his. She resented _it._

Love, hate. Adore, abhor. Respect, resent.

How could this possibly be love?

_**14AmyChan:**__**is that **__**what **__**love's **__**really l**__**ike?**_

_**Mai:**__**for me? **__**Evidently...**_

_**Naru:**__**read **__**and **__**review**_

_**14AmyChan:**__**you **__**could say i**__**t a**_ _**bit **__**more **__**nicely!**_

_**Mai:**__**please **__**read **__**and **__**review, **__**everybody!**_

_**14AmyChan: Naru, **__**you **__**need **__**to **__**take **__**people skills **__**classes **__**from **__**Mai...**_


	4. Confess--

_**14AmyChan: I found this lurking in my flashdrive... how did it get there..?**_

_**Mai: In case it's confusing, I'm talking like** _this

_**Naru: And I am speaking like **_**this**

_**14AmyChan: I don't own Ghost Hunt! *^_^***_

**It makes no sense.**

What?

**You shouldn't.**

Why?

**Because you should love him. He is a nice person. You are a nice person. Logically, that is how it works.**

Naru?

…

You're an idiot.

**Funny, I should be saying that to you right now.**

…

…

You once told me that your brain works differently than mine.

**I've said it more than once.**

No need to rub it in!

**I assume you had a point to this?**

Jerk. I'm just saying that my heart works differently than yours!

…

…

**Explain.**

Do I have to?

**Don't make me repeat myself.**

Ugh!

…

You think that my heart seems to work on command. That I can just say "okay, heart, stop loving Naru and get on with your life!" Has it occurred to that different brain of yours that I tried that?

**So you don't want to love me?**

I never said that, but when you rejected me I thought I needed to accept my fate and move on. I tried to tell myself that you didn't care for me that way. I tried to tell myself that you were right and my heart was a fool.

**I am never wrong.**

But you were. You were wrong, Naru, and it didn't take me long to stop trying to force-feed myself stupid lies given to me in a moment of weakness.

**I—**

I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to come out that way. Lemme explain. I confessed to you right after you found your dead brother. Bad timing on my part, but I wanted to tell you before you left forever. Also, said brother smiled a lot to me in my dreams, and all the girls flocked to him during life, so it would be a "logical" assumption to believe I'd do the same.

**I believe I stated this earlier.**

Well, _I_ believe you left a "variable" out of your calculations, you idiot scientist.

**I took everything into account.**

You didn't take _me_ into account.

***scoff* how can I not? This entire equation wraps around your emotions.**

Naru, _normal_ girls flocked to your brother. I go to school with _normal_ girls. You walked in on a few girls telling scary stories at a high school. Hate to break it to you, but one of them wasn't normal.

**It doesn't change the fact that Gene was kind to you and I was not. I am not a kind person, Mai.**

But you are.

**You're lying.**

Jerk!

**I just proved it.**

How?

**You think I'm a jerk.**

You think I'm stupid.

…

Naru

…

You can't stand stupid people. Why would you even hire someone with an IQ as low as what you claim mine is?

**This is irrelevant.**

Wrong~!

**Explain**

Hey, I got you to repeat yourself!

…

Okay, jeesh! I call you jerk, you call me stupid. You don't think I'm really that idiotic because you wouldn't be able to stand here with me and have this conversation otherwise.

**We are locked in a room together.**

Point being? You could have always walked to the other side of the room or told me to shut up by now. But seeing as you haven't, I'm not _that_ bad to be around.

…

You call me stupid because I do stupid things sometimes.

**So you **_**are**_** aware of your reckless behavior.**

Don't push it, Naru.

…

I call you a jerk because you do some things that a jerk would do. But it doesn't make you unkind or without a heart.

…

My situation as an orphan was none of your concern. I was getting along well before you arrived. But you gave me a job and gave me new options. You've saved not just my life, but the lives of everyone on this team more than once, even at risk to yourself and collecting the data that you send us out for. A completely cold person would have a complete disregard for life, and you don't.

**That does not make me kind.**

You won't let us get injured.

**It would be a hassle to pay the hospital bill.**

In the end, it ends up to be either our hospital bill or yours. Either way, the hospital gets paid, and usually it's your bill.

…

Though unorthodox, I've seen you care. You're not just fascinated by the ghosts we observe, you make every effort you can to help them pass on peacefully. Where others don't care or flat out don't believe, you do.

…

…

**It still makes no sense.**

UGH! Naru!

**I am not kind to you.**

Yes you are. You're just really weird about it.

…

Yeah, yeah, "explain". Naru, how many times have you saved my sorry end?

**159 times.**

And I'm pretty sure you're not counting the times when I woke up, crying, when you remained calm. I'm sure you're not even thinking about the times where I was having a really crappy day and you seem to know exactly what to say to get my mind off of it.

**That does not constitute as "saving" you.**

You don't get it.

…

…

…

Fine, I'll explain again. You've been taking care of me, whether you realize it or not. It wasn't Gene, it wasn't anyone else. No other guy has been as considerate of me as you, even if you _do_ call me an idiot.

…

Naru, I'm gonna say this one more time, and hope that it gets through that frigging skull of yours.

…

Just making sure you're listening.

**Are you sure you're not stalling?**

You-!

…

…

…

There. Now you believe me?

…

I guess not... I'll be at my desk if you need me. *I'm gonna get fired, I can't believe I did that. I'm so gonna get—*

…

…

**I believe you.**

…

…

Good.

**_14AmyChan: Okay, so for all of you patient poeple waiting for SPR:ITN, I AM WORKING ON IT! I've just hit a bit of a snag, that's all. ^^; anyhoot, I hope you guys enjoyed this~! *^_^*_**

**_Mai: Please read and review!_**

**_Naru: *kisses Mai again*_**

**_Fangirls: *squeal*_**


	5. Winds of Change

14AmyChan: I sleepyyyy...

Mai: then you should sleep

14AmyChan: I no own Ghost Hunt...

Mai: *shoves a pillow on Amy's face* Go to sleep, you're tired.

* * *

Words could not express how she felt in that moment, when reality slammed on her like an unstoppable freight train. It was nothing more than one of the absolute truths about life, that it always changed. Always.

These were a few of the thoughts running through Mai's mind as she assisted her boss with the packing of the office. Looking around, she could no longer view the office as familiar and completely safe. This was, after all, the second-and final-time the office would be completely packed up as it was begin now.

Mai could remember the day she was hired not the team, seven years ago. She had been naïve, with impossible expectations of her life and of her own little world. She had expected it to withstand the wear of time and the desires of her friends. Her expectations were gradually reshaped over time, and she eventually learned to accept change as a constant of living.

The first change had been graduating high school, and the accompanying distance of school friends. She had not switched jobs, but had pursued a major in psychology and a minor in parapsychology. These had helped to change her for the better in her field of work, and the two month old diploma she now had was a direct result of her hard work and diligence. Not to mention the nice little promotion she gained through her new knowledge.

Though her intelligence was the first to begin its metamorphosis, it was quickly followed by shifts in relationships. Her high school friends now off and making names for themselves, Mai's only social companions were also her coworkers, yet even they were not immune to the sands of time.

Bou-san's band began to shoot upwards in popularity and his time was dwindled down to only case interactions. During his final cases with the team, he made sure to let each of them know that he treasured the time they had spent as a group, but it was time for him to move forward in his career.

Ayako eventually found a man through her job at the hospital who doted on her constantly. Through him, she rediscovered her dying zeal to aid the sick as well as the dead. It had taken three years after being introduced to him before she quietly handed in her formal letter of withdrawal from SPR-asking them to please not ask former help on future cases because she simply had not the time-give a farewell hug to Mai, and leave through the office doors for the final time.

John's departure had been quicker than the monk's and the priestess', having had a family emergency back in Australia. The SPR team had been able to keep him for one year before he had needed to return home to nurse his sick mother. He had attended to her final days one year later and had made the decision to remain there. While he did send the occasional letter back to Japan, Mai could tell they were becoming more formal and less familiar as time went on. It was another change she had to accept.

Yasuhara had bid his farewells to SPR's Japanese branch when he left to study abroad in America. When Oliver had given him a letter of recommendation for the American branch, no one would have known that the silly jokester would find a nice girl and settle down before the year was out. From his last communication six months ago, he had been doing well as the lead researcher for the Museum of Natural history, his family already growing as quickly as his wife's tummy.

Masako had-surprisingly-held out the longest of the SPR irregulars, though Mai suspected this was less of a friendly connection and more of a business contact. Those ties had eventually been severed by the fact that she had somehow ended up as the media's only tie to Oliver Davis. That in itself had put enormous strain on her as a celebrity. Oliver Davis fanatics had been caught attempting to tail her and grab a peek at the elusive brain behind the paranormal world. It was for this reason that the business partnership ended.

That severed connection-having been broken two months ago-was the last contact Mai had with any of the irregulars. As they had been an integral part of the Japanese team, Oliver had decided to close the branch down. Lin had left the week before to prepare for the arrival of the rest of his group back in England.

"What are you thinking," Oliver questioned as he set a fairly heavy box down on the floor. "The only times I've seen you this quiet are when you are overexerting your brain."

Mai chuckled. His baits no longer caused her to raise her voice in anger, a tactic that had worked until three years prior. He had been stumped with the change in his assistant's behavior at the time, but had thought it best to leave it be. It had taken three months for him to finally inquire as to why, and two more for her to reply in a sing term.

Time.

"Just thinking about how much everything has changed," she replied honestly. Oliver raised an eyebrow, but Mai could tell he was amused with this answer.

"I see. And you're prepared for the oncoming changes, I assume?" he challenged. Mai rolled her eyes.

"Of course," she waved off with confidence. "After all, life always changes. Always."

Oliver nodded in agreement as he went into his old office to retrieve yet another box. And this was how they resumed their packing, bracing themselves for the changes that were in store for them.

* * *

14AmyChan: *asleep by now*

Mai: well, anything not specifically stated is left to the imaginings of the readers

14AmyChan: *muttering in sleep* please read 'n review...

Mai: *shakes head*


	6. For Nothing

**_14AmyChan: I was working on a oneshot, this snippet didn't make the cut, and now it's a oneshot._**

**_Naru: 14AmyChan doesn't own Ghost Hunt._**

Now, as he was watching his brother being pulled from a lake, all other thoughts fled his mind. That was his brother beneath that tarp; he knew it before he even had to take a look. Yet take a look he did, and he told himself that the horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach was disappointment. Disappointment at the fact that he could no longer see how Gene had communicated with ghosts, disappointment in himself as a scientist.

Though he knew he could not forever stave off the feelings of rekindled loss. For this reason, he nodded a slight affirmation before stalking away, looking for something else to preoccupy his scientist's mind. He needed something else to think about, something else to explore. His brother was dead, gone, and he could not even find one thing to justify his death. Perhaps if he had found his brother sooner, he would have found some way to ensure his brother's death was not in vain.

But now it was too late. Now the loss of his older twin brother truly was for nothing.

_**14AmyChan: Please read and review! *^_^***_


	7. Chasing You

14AmyChan: trying to write more of SPRITN, but in the meantime, have a drabble!

Naru: Chan-san does not own Ghost Hunt.

* * *

And here I am, chasing you. Knowing that your heart will never be truly mine. Perhaps I thrive on this unrequited love I have for you. This sickening hope that perhaps one day you will turn and see me. Really see _me._

I feel I am a sick man leaning upon a frail cane, stubbornly denying the day-fast approaching-when it will splinter under my impossible expectations. A deaf man, eternally awaiting the day I can hear sweet song, never mind the fact that such a day will never come to a prideful fool such as myself.

This love is unrequited, I know it well. I know it in how you walk. How you talk. How you dress. How you act. How you laugh. But please, I beg of you, allow me to hold to this disillusionment for a bit longer. Allow me to pretend that it's me you want.

Because, at the end of the day, here I am, chasing you.

* * *

14AmyChan: interpret as you will!

Naru: and feel free to leave those interpretations in your review.

14AmyChan: thanks, guys! *^_^*


	8. Do Puppies Go To Heaven?

_**AmyNChan: Wrote this for a friend who's having a bit of a tough time...**_

_**Mai: AmyChan doesn't own Ghost Hunt.**_

Mai looked around herself at the house where she and the team had spent the past week, solving this complex case. While she was glad that no one was hurt during this case, there was something that was bugging her...

"Nina-chan?" the brunette asked, gingerly taking a seat next to the five-year-old of the house. The small child held onto her teddy bear as tears continued to silently streak down her face. She gave a polite nod of acknowledgement, indicating she knew Mai was there, but did not face her. Mai could live with that, so she gingerly continued.

"Are you gonna be okay?" she questioned softly. Nina buried her head into her teddy bear, a slight hiccup being heard through the soft fabric of the stuffed animal. Mai's heart felt heavy and she bit her lip, knowing full well that this child was going through something extremely painful for her right now.

So Mai said nothing, and allowed the child to sob. To grieve. To mourn. For about fifteen minutes. It was then that the small voice finally spoke.

"Miss Mai?" her trembling voice asked. Mai hummed to show that she was listening, yet had to wait another few moments before the little girl continued with her query.

"Do puppies go to heaven?"

As much as Mai wanted to tell the young child yes, she felt as though saying such an answer without thinking would only do more harm than good, so she took a few minutes to figure out how to address the issue at hand. As she thought it over, Nina continued.

"Joan stayed behind to protect me. Joan was a good puppy. Don't good puppies go to heaven?" the girl asked, her voice cracking with each statement. It was not long before the girl was trembling once more, the tears that never stopped coming down in a slightly heavier flow.

Mai placed her hand on the back of the small child, rubbing it in comfort. Nina turned to the only source of warmth and held onto it for a moment, thinking only of her wonderful puppy, Joan, who had died three months prior and who had just been cleansed that morning.

"I don't know what happens when we cleanse animals, even puppies," Mai admitted, and was pained to hear a strained gasp from Nina. Mai rubbed her back comfortingly for a few moments and waited for the tears to ease down for a while. "But I know he's not in pain anymore."

"How come?" the girl instantly hiccuped. Despite the disbelief in her tone, Mai felt the child's fingers dig into her side. She did not comment on that, but rather answered the girl's query.

"Because I saw his face when we were cleansing him," Mai confided. "He was happy that you had such wonderful people around you to take care of you and protect you. Joan loved you, and he wants you to be happy."

"How can I be happy?" Nina blurted, tears stinging her eyes. "How can I be happy with Joan gone forever?!"

Mai could not answer that question, but merely looked at the bobbing head of the sobbing child, grieving over a recent loss. The wound was obviously fresh, so Mai felt that telling the child that the pain would recede with time would fall upon deaf ears. Instead, Mai simply continued to rub circles on the child's back, comforting her as best as she could.

The next morning, Mai and Nina would both say a prayer for Joan, the puppy who pushed his young owner out of the way of a moving car.

**_AmyNChan: Please read and review._**


	9. Around

**_AmyNChan: I don't own Ghost Hunt_**

You chased me

And tried to drag me

Out of our home

Irony twists within me

That I chase you

To try and drag you

Back into it once more

Grieving


	10. Because I Love You

_**AmyNChan: Okay, this oneshot is the idea of Eyeliner-Vampire, and actually would probably take place in the Yuzuki and Kazuki verse.**_

_**Lin: And the reason Madoka is not on the case is because she is at home with Souta?**_

_**AmyNChan: Yup! She and Yasu did routine information gathering on this case. XD**_

_**Naru: You do not own Ghost Hunt.**_

_**AmyNChan: Nope, but I now own the entire collection on DVD~!**_

_**Naru: *pinches nose***_

Naru glared heavily at his computer screen, a horrible decision lying before him. As a man of twenty four, he had recently gotten married to the one girl within the radius of both England and Japan who did _not_ annoy him. That same wife of his that was currently lying in the hospital 3.14 miles to the west of the office that was his lair.

_Why__ did I take that case?_ the man fumed in his head once more, harshly typing up the report that needed to be done. The case had been difficult, almost deadly. Not one, not _two_, but_ three_ of his team members had almost been killed. Strangulation, attempted drowning, and even attempted death through fire. This zealous demon had stopped at nothing to kill them, only ceasing when the combined efforts of Lin, himself, and Matsuzaki-san's trees had sent him back into hell.

The monk and Priest had woken up from their comatose states only two days prior to Noll actually writing the report. The former's broken hand would have a significant impact on his bassist job and it seemed as though John's amnesia was beginning to deteriorate. Now all that was left was for a certain brunette who happened to be his whole world to return the light to it once more.

_Why__ didn't I just pull out like I did with Urado?_ Naru questioned himself furiously. His poor keyboard suffered a brutal beating at the fingertips of a furious and worried husband while the room around him shifted a degree or two. Still, he _knew_ why he had not pulled out. The simple fact of the matter was that they had been trapped, and leaving was only available once the source of the haunt had been vanquished. They had attempted to get out once through surprising the creature, but that had only afforded Hara-san escape. She had returned within the half-hour with police and several ambulances.

It had only taken half an hour. Half an hour to make that terrible stand. To be separated from everyone. To run around in that infernal death trap, looking for his team and his friends. To hear the strangled cry of the Monk. To come in, seeing that his hand was so close to being shredded off his arm. To rescue the Monk and then find the priestess, who had been hanging precariously from a noose, unconscious at that point. To have the monk throw his _tokkosho_ and cut the noose, only to have the team's only doctor fall in an unconscious heap. To take them both and run into Lin, who had also been running around searching for the team. To find John, who had been trapped in the kitchen, inhaling the massive amounts of smoke that came from the fire that surrounded him. As Lin and Monk had been supporting Matsuzaki-san, Naru had run to the sink and bent the faucet to face the fire, similar to spoon-bending. It had worn him out, but the water had been sprayed on the fire and John had been able to jump through a weak spot in the flames. His robes had been charred and his face covered in soot, but he had insisted on continuing to look.

Because at that point, Mai had still been missing.

At that point, the hell would end in five minutes. Five minutes to find Mai, to see her grappling to the side of an indoor pond whose depths were unknown. Five minutes to see her brown haired head slip beneath the water and for the ghoul to come out. The entire team had tried pushing through time and again, and when three minutes had passed, they had all feared the worst for their small brunette. The monk and priest had charged in together, but had been forced back at such a velocity that they hit the wall and fell to the ground—unconscious and defeated. At that point, Naru had charged with whatever remained of his strength. Lin had accompanied him with his _shiki_, protecting the enraged man and attacking the offender. Matsuzaki-san had skirted around the edge of the being, stunning it with charms to make it immobile.

Naru and the shiki had obliterated the demon, but all was not won yet. Without another thought, Naru dove into the water, searching for his wife. The instant his hand had caught a hold of her shirt, he had feared the worst. Not just for her, but for both of them.

He had run out of strength.

The next time he had awoken, he had gotten a stern lecture from Lin concerning his brash behavior, a report on the condition of the entire team, and had been discharged two days after the Monk and John had been released.

And that led him to typing up the injury report of this case, when something caught his eye.

_Fetus(es): stable_

The report had been under Mai's name, which had led Oliver into a whirlwind of possible conclusions that this case could have taken. He could have lost not just his wife, but his _unborn child_. A child that he did not know even existed until now. What would he have done if he had lost his small family? What would have come of the team if they had ever known? If they had been even a little later—

The sharp ringing of the phone brought Oliver out of his train of thought. Though the damage was done. He knew now the risks of having Mai on another case.

He picked up the phone.

* * *

"That's not fair!" Mai yelled at her husband, still shocked over what she had just heard. She had tried to tell him about the pregnancy before the case, but once they had gotten it she had thought something like this was going to happen, so she had decided to tell him _after_ the case.

Bad idea.

"Fair or unfair, I am still the boss and I have the right to make this call," Oliver stated, a stone cold glare in his eyes. He was _furious_. She had _known_ and placed not only herself, but their _child_ in danger.

"_I_ was good on this case! I followed every instruction you gave me, I never went anywhere alone unless I was forced, I—"

"Ended up almost drowning at the hands of a low-grade demon because this case was _dangerous_," Oliver seethed. "This is final. You're fired."

"That's not fair!" she screeched once more, throwing whatever was nearest to her at her husband. It so happened to be her pillow. "You don't have a right to fire me without two weeks or something! And we go _months_ without cases! Why the hell would you fire me now, you ba—"

"_Mai_," Oliver warned, cutting that foul word off at the head. By now his wife was sobbing and it killed him that he was doing this to her. But he would far rather have her alive than dead.

"Don't do this, Naru, please…" she whispered, tears pouring out of her eyes. The sound of what his wife would call him caused his eyes to soften a little. However, it also caused his resolve to firm.

"I can't take you on any more cases, Mai," he whispered. His wife looked at him with pleading eyes. Pleading, angry, hurt eyes. It caused his heart to clench upon itself. But he _had_ to do this.

"Tell me why. Naru, you owe me that much," she bit out. She used the arm that was not hooked up to the IV to wipe away her own tears. For Oliver, that would not do. He walked cautiously to his wife's side and sat on her bed. He took her face in his hands gently and began to brush away her tears. She looked him in the eye with the saddest look he thought would ever cross her face. He frowned at that look.

"You idiot…" he murmured. "I love you."

Mai's eyes widened. While they were dating, and even in their marriage he hardly ever said those words. He was better than before, but he still did not say it often. She rested a hand on top of his.

"Naru…"

"I can't let you die. I can't let you get hurt like that again…" he told her, his eyes boring into hers . She needed to know. She needed to _understand_. He had to tell her.

"I won't, Naru… I haven't before," she whispered softly, attempting to reassure him. How could he get her to see?

"Mai, you are alive because of pure luck and the hands that support you. I'm grateful for that, but there is _always_ a chance we could come late. We almost did last time," he informed her. He opened his eyes again to see those soft cinnamon orbs of hers begin to understand.

"I'm sorry I worried you…" she whispered. He could feel her hand tighten on his own. He knew in the way that her eyes were wide that she meant it. She never meant to worry him. She never intended to make him panic. She knew what her being in danger did to him, and he knew how much the team meant to her.

He closed his eyes.

"You can stay at the office, but no cases," he conceded finally. He could feel the warmth of her face now. Feel her living breath dance across his lips. She was _alive_ now. And that was how she was to remain. "I can't afford to lose you…"

The air hung thick in that hospital room for a moment. Neither of the two said a word, they simple sat there, feeling each other breathe. Oliver felt a pressure on his lips and responded with a short, chaste kiss. He opened his eyes as Mai pulled away.

"Ok," she said, an understanding smile on her lips, a happy look in her eye, and a "thank you" in her heart. She kissed her husband once more, and thanked everything that watched down on them that she was still with him.

With him and their unborn child. Or children. It was still too early to tell.

_**AmyNChan: Okay, there's that oneshot. XD Thank you, Eyeliner-Vampire for the idea!**_

_**Mai: I get to stay in the office?**_

_**AmyNChan: Yup, and it'll be a while before he lets you back on cases.**_

_**Mai: Yay!**_

_**Naru: *eyes soften when he sees Mai celebrate***_

_**AmyNChan: Anyhoot, I hope you read and review!**_

_**Side note: I dunno why others do it, but I say **__**read**__** and review to hopefully deter people who would advertise on my reviews. If you're going to say something about your story, let it be because your story and mine have funny little things in common, or because you're comparing them. I do it also cause I'm paranoid. One of the guests asked about it and I thought I'd answer the query here, because it's a good one. XD Anyhoot, please read and review~! *^_^***_


	11. The New Girl?

_**AmyNChan: Okay, I made a bet, and I lost. XDDD**_

_**Mai: AmyChan doesn't own anyone in this fic! Except for one person at the end!**_

_**AmyNChan: Hope you enjoy, NIA-chan~! *^_^***_

"Stupid, tea-loving narcissist," Mai Taniyama grumbled as she stormed over to her small desk, taking a seat harshly. As she began to sort through the files she needed to process, she continued to gripe. "Even when he _does_ say thank-you, he always finds some way to make me mad… would it kill him to grow a set of manners? Stupid—"

"Excuse me?" a voice asked from before the part-timer. Mai glanced up with wide eyes to see a person standing there. Right before her stood a teenage girl who was a smidgeon shorter than herself. She had dirty blonde hair and wide brown eyes that seemed to be taking everything in behind fashionable glasses. She had donned a black and white jacket, a pair of worn—yet obviously well loved—jeans, and a pair of comfortable flip flops on her feet. Mai scrambled to stand before the girl, who she thought was a possible client.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Mai apologized with a smile. "I didn't hear you come in. Welcome to SPR, is there anything I can help you with?"

The girl before her gave a polite and somewhat apologetic smile as she answered Mai's query. "One of my best friends shoved me in here and she says that I can't leave until I meet everyone who works here…"

Mai could feel the confusion evident on her face. Who would do something like that? It seemed as though such things only existed in the world of—

"I don't know about meeting my boss or the other assistant, but my name is Mai Taniyama," the brown haired girl introduced. The mysterious girl in front of her smiled in return as she continued to look about herself. For a few moments, nothing really happened.

_Ding!_

The bell above the door sounded and both girls turned towards it. One hoping that perhaps she would be let out by now, and the other hoping that perhaps it could be someone to entertain them. Mai's wish was granted.

"Hello, jou-chan!" the friendly neighborhood monk greeted with a grin. Before he could say a word to the new girl, a familiar sensation overcame the crown of his head. Pain.

"Let us in the door, you slow old man!" a familiar priestess called as she shoved Bou-san forward. She smiled as she saw the two girls inside. "Hey, Mai! Did you invite a friend over?"

"Well, actually, this—"

"If you would so kindly keep moving, Matsuzaki-san," a petite voice stated from behind the door where Ayako had stopped. "The rest of us would wish to enter the premises as well."

"No need to act so high and mighty, brat," Ayako seethed as she walked over the still body of the monk. The mysterious girl began walking forward to ensure his health when two people suddenly appeared before her.

"Hello, I'm John Brown," the blonde of the two stated, a friendly smile on his face. The new girl smiled kindly in return as she took up his offered hand for a polite shake. A forlorn sigh caught her attention and she swiveled her head to the right in order to see what was going on.

"John, you're supposed to bow, like this," the grey-haired youth stated, showing the priest how it was done. "This is how you greet a beautiful young lady here in Japan."

"It's fine," the girl smiled, her face blushing just a tinge from Yasu's charms. Her left hand—which had been empty until now—was then captured by the young man, who decided to look deep into her eyes for some reason or another. She gave a nervous laugh as he began to speak.

"My dear young lady, someone of your charm and grace deserves nothing but the best," he told her, causing her face to erupt in red.

"Th-thank you, but—"

"No buts!" the young man stated, and before he was given a chance to continue his flattery—which, by the way, was actually getting him nowhere—the door opened once more. Everyone turned to see who had entered and were slightly surprised by the flash of pink.

"Madoka!" Mai smiled. "What are you doing in Japan? You left for England—"

"Turns out my flight got cancelled, so I'll be staying with Lin until I can get another flight," the woman answered with a smile. It did not take long for her trained eyes to realize there was something—some_one_—new in their midst. "Hello, are you a client?"

"Um, no," she said, finally able to politely return her hand from Yasuhara. The young man ended up mourning over his "lost love" for the matter of thirteen minutes. No one really paid him heed as the girl continued. "One of my friends pretty much pushed me in here so I could meet everyone here and she won't let me out until I've met everyone."

"Who would go to such lengths?" Ayako wondered aloud. The mystery girl shrugged as she shed her jacket. Underneath was a very beautiful aqua blue tee shirt.

"Well, might as well make introductions," Mai stated, having gotten used to the presence of this girl fairly quickly. She was polite and shy, but the brunette was sure that as soon as the girl got comfortable in the office, she would be a lot of fun to hang out with. "As you know, I'm Mai. The two over there are Takigawa, Hoshou—who we call Bou-san—and Matsuzaki Ayako. They're our monk and priestess."

"It's nice to meet you," the girl smiled, her shoulders not quite so tense. Mai smiled as she gestured to a few of the other guests in the room.

"These two are Hara Masako and Brown John. She's our medium and he's our priest. They're also probably the quietest of all of us," Mai tacked on as an afterthought. The girl chuckled as she greeted the two that had been introduced to her.

"The one who was flirting with you earlier is Yasuhara Osamu," Mai continued. She then thought for a second before continuing. "Though I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to shake his hand after the welcome he gave you."

The girl laughed at Mai's jab as she walked up to Yasu. "As long as he doesn't flirt with _me_, I'm good."

"There are no guarantees with that, madam," Yasu winked. The girl laughed as she allowed Mai to continue with the introductions. However, before she could, she noticed that the last person who had been in the room had vanished.

"Where did Madoka go…?" the girl wondered aloud. "That was her name right? Madoka?"

"She probably went to go bother Lin-san," Bou-san stated nonchalantly. Mai's eyes widened, and the new girl looked around with confusion.

"No one _ever_ disturbs Lin-san while he's working!" the brunette assistant exclaimed. "It doesn't even bother him when I start yelling at Naru."

"That's either because Naru deserves it and Lin knows it, or he probably has ear plugs in," Ayako said. Everyone turned to her with a look of disbelief, ranging from mild to complete. The priestess, however, took little heed of these looks as she continued. "He probably also has a huge bottle of asprin in his office in case all the yelling give him a headache…"

"…so you have to come out and say hi," Madoka finished as she dragged a disgruntled Lin out of his office. Everyone in the room stopped cold as they saw Madoka Mori do the impossible.

She had dragged Lin out of his office.

And the world was not exploding.

"Well, since no one else is going to do the introductions," Madoka chipred, as though she had not just completed a feat of immense proportions. "My name is Mori Madoka, and this is Lin Koujo. I do a lot of research whenever I'm around, and Koujo gets to deal with the bulk of electronics."

"It's nice to meet you both," the new girl grinned, completely relaxed at this point. Lin gave a nod in return and Madoka smiled happily.

"Who wants some tea?" Mai suddenly asked. The group of eight people all raised their hands and Mai smiled. She liked having company over, and it made her feel like a good hostess whenever she was able to make tea for her friends.

The afternoon passed along at quite a good pace for everyone in the room. Occasionally, the new girl would write something down, or her eyes would widen and she would smile happily, chiming in on the conversation with some really great ideas. At the end of the day—after at least three tea runs from Mai and seven fights—everyone had decided that they had quite enjoyed their afternoon, talking and enjoying new company.

"Mai, tea!" Naru called as the time neared five in the afternoon. Almost everyone had left an hour prior, leaving only Naru himself, Mai, Lin, and the mystery girl in the office. After all, she still could not leave. She had to meet _everyone_ who worked there, and she had still not met the boss.

"I wish he would ask nicely…" Mai grumbled as she hefted herself up for the fourth time. This time, however, the mystery girl followed her into the kitchen. However, Mai being Mai, she did not recognize she was followed until she was halfway through making the tea.

"You're really good at that," the girl piped up, accidentily frightening poor Mai. She yelped in fright as she jumped, which caused the teapot—with boiling water inside—to collide with her forearms. Mai let out a surprised cry of pain, and before the mystery girl could apologize—which she had been about to. Heavens knew that she did not mean for her kind hostess and newfound friend to become hurt—a black blur shot by her, making its way directly towards Mai.

"You idiot," a voice said as pale hands directed Mai to the sink. The brunette girl did not make much of any sounds as her burns were placed under cool running water. "You need to be careful."

"Itai… it wasn't my fault, Naru…" Mai hissed as the water continued to run over her burns. While she could admit the cool was soothing, it still could not make her forget entirely the pain she had just gone through. And all for a little scare, no less! Mai breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth. She did not really hold anyone responsible for what had just happened. Accident, you know?

"You," Naru stated, his eyes not leaving Mai's arms. Yet somehow, the new girl knew that he must have been talking to her. She straightened up and answered swiftly.

"Y-yes?"

"Since you were the one who scared Mai, I want you to clean up this mess, and then supervise her while she makes another cup of tea so it doesn't happen again," Naru ordered. Even though she was not employed at the office, the girl knew that she could not simply run from his demands. Instead, she huffed a sigh, her own conscience propelling her next actions rather than Naru's order.

"Yes, sir…"

That was the only thing that was stated for the next couple of minutes. Naru inspected Mai's arms and wrapped them, ensuring little to no chance of infection. Once he was done, he returned to his lair, never once giving the new girl a glance.

"I'm sorry about that, he doesn't really know how to ask for things," Mai apologized, though the new girl could tell that the girl was blushing to the tips of her ears. The blonde smiled at Mai in understanding before frowning.

"I'm sorry I scared you, I didn't mean for—" Mai waved off the rest of her apology.

"It's already forgotten. I should have been paying more attention anyways," the brunette smiled. The girl smiled as she realized something.

"This means I've technically met with or talked to everyone who works here!" she exclaimed with happiness. Mai laughed along with her newfound friend. As the tea was prepared, the two talked about a few more things, ranging from evil maths to how funny the monk and priestess were. Eventually, it even came time for the new girl to tease Mai playfully about her love life.

"Just so you know, I'm going to ship you and your Naru," the girl stated as a matter of factly as soon as Mai exited the office, now devoid of tea. Mai blushed as she tried to refute the girl's statement, but she was no longer listening. She was gathering her jacket off of SPR's couch and already headed for the door.

"By the way!" Mai exclaimed when the girl's hand was on the door. The girl paused in her actions long enough to hear what Mai was going to say. "I didn't catch your name."

"My friends call me NIA," the girl stated, turning to give Mai a final smile. "It stands for Naruisawesome."

Before Mai could press further, the girl had already written herself out of the office and down the stairs to meet up with her friend that had caused this plight in the first place.

"Soooo, NIA-chan, did you have fun?" another blonde girl asked as she awaited her friend in the café downstairs. Naruisawesome smiled as she slid into her seat.

"Yup! And I have so many ideas now…!"

_**AmyNChan: And there be your oneshot! I hope I got you down right! XD/dies**_

_**Mai: Please remember to read and review!**_


	12. The Joy of Siblings

_**AmyNChan: Actually based on a convo me and my bro had.**_

_**Oliver: Chan-san does not own any of the characters from Ghost Hunt**_

_**Eugene: Please enjoy~!**_

Gene had just finished brushing out the mane of his favorite steed, Lucky. Every Tuesday, he and Noll would continue their riding lessons from when they were small. It had been at Luella's insistence, and if the woman had not gotten Madoka involved—who had effectively blocked out Tuesday afternoons of anything related to the paranormal—Noll might never have even looked a horse in the eye.

Still, Gene was happy. This was the only time nowadays that he saw his brother. After all, Noll had already graduated high school and was even beginning to write his thesis. Not to say that Gene was not proud of his brother's hard work and accomplishments, but he did miss fooling around with Noll on a Sunday afternoon, or playing switch-around with the professors. Making mischief with Noll was a treat that Gene always enjoyed. A treat he had been deprived of all too quickly.

Lucky whined for Gene's attention, and Gene was only too willing to oblige. The young boy produced a carrot from his pocket and willingly shared his snack with the beautiful horse. Perhaps if Gene asked nicely, Luella would help him think of some way to transport Lucky over to Japan for his trip next week. Then again, most likely not. Gene was only going to observe Shinto-style exorcisms, and then would return to his normal life in England. He could ride Lucky then.

"Gene, we have to go now," Noll's voice carried into the stable, where Gene had just finished giving Lucky her carrot. Gene's face went slack.

"But Noll, we have another hour and a half!" the sixteen year old protested in disbelif. His mirror image poked out his head from within another stall, where Grace stood. The chestnut mare was already bundled up for the night, given enough grain to last for the week, and a piece of paper with detailed instructions on Grace's care was already tacked to the front of the stall, out of her chewing range. Noll's eyes narrowed.

"I already told you that we have to stop by the library for some research materials I need for my thesis. Mother and Madoka both approved so long as we gave the girls their exercise," he stated, closing the stall with finality. He had thought of anything that logic could throw at him, but was not wholly surprised when Gene's mood soured exponentially. The elder of the twins gave Lucky a once over, filled her feeding bag, wrapped her snuggly in her favorite blanket, and left a note reminding the stable hand that he would be gone for the next two weeks. He then closed Lucky's door gently and followed his brother out onto the road they would be forced to walk on.

"Why can't we just take the car?" Gene grumbled. He knew that if they did things his way, they would have been able to remain at the stable for at least an hour longer, be able to swing by the library and grab the books that Noll needed, and still arrive home on time.

"We don't have driver's licenses," Noll rebuked, shooting the idea down. Gene frowned. Killjoy. Noll always had to ruin the party, didn't he?

Gene continued to grumble internally, forgetting one crucial fact. His twin could hear everything that he thought. Could hear every misgiving. Could hear every gripe. Every complaint. Every angry thought. Noll could hear it all. And it, in turn, made him angry as well.

"If this is about Lucky, go back and ride her for another hour," Oliver growled, refusing to look Eugene in the eye. He was angry. Angry that he had a goal in his life. Angry that his goal was taxing of those he actually cared about. Angry that those he cared about would not help him willingly with his goal, allow him to move forward when he desperately wished to do so. Angry that the one person who was to understand him the best was being little more than a selfish, whiny, arrogant brat.

"It's too late, we're already a mile gone," Gene seethed, angry at his brother. It was not even about Lucky. Yes, he wished he could spend a bit more time with Lucky before he had to leave, but that was not the main problem. The main problem was that work was stealing his brother away, and soon he would have no brother at all!

"Then quit complaining! It's giving me a headache!" Oliver demanded, his thumb and forefinger over his nose. Eugene knew his brother well enough to know this meant that his brother was actually trying to deal with his emotions rather than push them off to the side as he normally was able to do. The elder of the twins glared heavily at his brother. _Why_ could he not understand?

The two continued to walk in a tense silence down the road. It was not long before the library came into sight. Oliver obviously picked up his pace a little bit, eager to grab what was necessary and leave. It was apparent that Eugene did not share his brother's urgency. By the time the black-haired boy arrived at the library, his scholar of a sibling had already gotten what was needed.

At least he had the courtesy to wait for his brother before resuming the trek home.

"Are you angry at me because of Lucky, or are you angry at me because of the lack of time we've had in the past few months?" Oliver finally asked, surprising Eugene. The elder twin looked with shock upon his younger sibling, shocked that the latter could actually ask a question of emotional meaning. He was asking the _why_ behind an emotion—a logical tactic—but he was still trying to root out the problem.

"Idiot scientist…" Gene murmured, shaking his head. He appreciated his brother's effort. He really did. It's just that his brother was such an idiot scientist.

"Stupid medium…" Noll returned with a scowl. Here he was, trying to figure out how to solve the problem, when his stupid medium of a brother refused to give him an answer. Fine, let two play at that game.

And so they continued to their home, one in silent frustration and the other in a sense of peace he had not felt in a few months.

The joy of siblings.

_**AmyNChan: Well, now that that's up, I can get some sleep!**_

_**Oliver: Before you do, how is your other tale coming along?**_

_**AmyNChan: You mean you actually care? *surprised***_

_**Oliver: No, Mai just asked, but since she's not a part of this fic, she requested that I pass along the query.**_

_**AmyNChan: Oh. Makes sense. I'm doing my best to update it, yet it's giving me a spot of trouble. I hope it won't take too terribly much longer.**_

_**Eugene: Now that that's all cleared up! We hope you liked it and that you review with what you thought!**_

_**AmyNChan: Yup, we hope you liked it~! *^_^***_


	13. In The Rain

_**AmyNChan: Random oneshot I thought up while working on my story ideas… XD**_

_**Mai: If you're trying so hard with your other story, why did you write this one instead?**_

_**AmyNChan: I thought maybe I just needed a bit more MaiNaru fluff in my life and I'm a bit stuck.**_

_**Mai: *mutters* That explains it…**_

_**AmyNChan: What was that? **_

_**Mai: Just that you don't own Ghost Hunt!**_

_**AmyNChan: *face desks***_

"Mai, what are you doing?" my new flat mate asked, his voice in usual monotone. Of course it was, when could Naru ever be anything _but_ monotonic? Even with all of this beautiful rain falling all around me! I only did what was natural when I spotted it outside my window when I somehow woke up waaay too early. I ran down the stairs, leapt out of the front door, and began to twirl at once in its beautiful clear embrace. Most people seem to hate the rain, but me, I love it so much! It symbolizes everything getting clean again, and the air is so fresh and crisp when it is here and right after it leaves before the Tokyo pollution mucks it up again. I tried to taste a few on my tongue, momentarily forgetting about—

"Mai!" he barks, slightly louder this time. I retract my tongue only to pout in Naru's direction. Ever since I was forced to move in with him due to a severe head trauma injury on a case—no matter how much I insisted I was fine, Ayako was always quick to point out when I would need 24 hour supervision, and who better than the one who already commanded me working schedule?—Naru's been acting a bit strange. At first it was just during the daily checkup when he would act nice, and only so I would do what he wanted me to. Look left, look up, look down, look at the 500 yen coin so-you-don't-notice-the-light-I-shine-in-your-eye. It surprised me how gentle he was being with me, but I just let myself get used to it and sort of drank it up whenever he did it. Every time we finished, I would make him some tea as a thank-you for his kindness. It surprised him the first time, but it soon became a weird habit for the both of us.

About a week later, my _actual_ apartment had burned down, destroying most—yet thankfully not all—of my personal belongings. At the time, I was so thankful that I habitually brought pictures of my parents, SPR, Naru and Gene, and my lucky key with me on my cases—though for privacy's sake, I kept the picture of Naru and Gene tucked away in the back of my wallet so no one would stumble on it by accident. The rest of it was either memories forever written on my heart or material items that could be replaced with time and effort. It was eventually decided that I would simply stay with Naru for a while until I could find a new flat. The search is still ongoing.

"You'll catch a cold if you zone out in the middle of the rain, idiot," Naru's voice sounded again, only this time it was far closer. Far, _far_ closer…

"N-Naru?!" I ended up screeching, but you can't blame me! He's the one who snuck up on me! In any event, I had to massage my heart from the surprise attack Naru had just given it when I realized something.

I was not being rained on anymore.

I looked up in curiosity to find an inky black expanse protecting me from the rain. The soft droplets kept hitting it, making a sweet and soothing rhythm against its dark fabrics. My eyes wandered to the center of this expanse, where a narrow pole smoothly melded together into the palm of one very pale hand.

"If you're going to act like an idiot out in the rain, you could remember to grab an umbrella," he stated, jerking my gaze from his pale hand to his icy blue eyes. I knew that look. It was almost like he was going to tease me again. I frowned in anticipation, coiling for a—

"Or at least wear some rain boots," he finished off, surprising me. He wasn't going to lecture me for going out into the rain so early in the morning? He wasn't mad that I was the one who probably woke him up at two am because I heard raindrops on the windowsill? I let myself relax a bit and found myself smiling at him. Obviously, he wasn't going to return it, but I wanted to just give him a smile. I had expected a fight or possibly a long lecture. The fact that he was being nice and still holding the umbrella meant more than I could really express without being clichéd.

"Okay, I'll try," I agreed, thinking that I should just play nice in return. But then, the time caught up with me, as well as my energetic running from only fifteen minutes earlier. My eyelids felt very heavy and I could not help but yawn. Naru did not say anything—though I'm pretty sure he rolled his eyes!—as he grabbed my wrist and led me back into the building. I was too tired to fight him, not that I would want to right now anyways. I was starting to shiver and the thought of my warm futon suddenly sounded really nice.

"Go to sleep, Mai," Naru ordered me. Though normally I would have yelled something about manners at him, I was too tired. I just nodded and made my way into the guest room with my very warm futon and snuggled inside. So…very…warm…

* * *

The next morning, I awoke to three things. A sore head and scratchy throat, a pair of inky black rain boots and an umbrella, and a bottle of aspirin with a glass of water.

"Achoo!"

_**AmyNChan: He **__**did**__** warn you, Mai…**_

_**Mai: *holds a tissue to her nose* Oh, hush, you… *blows nose***_

_**AmyNChan: In this oneshot, I think Naru and Mai are at that awkward stage where they're realizing that they're friends, but it's about to shift a whole lot more. XD**_

_**Naru: The logic in this oneshot is—**_

_**AmyNChan: I know, it's basic and not well-thought out, but I'm on the cusp of sleep and this was gonna be something else altogether, but it just ended up being this.**_

_**Naru: So long as you realize this.**_

_**AmyNChan: I do.**_

_**Mai: *senses the growing tension and smiles while waving at the readers in a "bye bye" motion* Okai! Thanks for reading and please review! Bai-bai! Achoo!**_


	14. I Dream With Who?

_**AmyNChan: Rewatching the anime, and something popped out at me.**_

_**Eugene: I asked Mai if she had seen the dream that I had led her to in the Cursed House case.**_

_**AmyNChan: Exactly, and that got my mind whirring. This is literally my thought process, the whole scrambled bunch! XD**_

_**Eugene: Don't worry, she'll actually write her conclusion out at the end. By the way, AmyChan doesn't own Ghost Hunt. *smiles***_

_**fangirls: *faint and swoon***_

"Did you see the dream?"

I know I heard that right. I know I remember it right as well. By that point, I had been hyper-aware of my surroundings. Anyone would be after witnessing and then enduring death, even in dream-form. To ask me such a question, Dream Naru—or Eugene Davis, as I now feel I must call him. That is, after all, his given name—must not have known that I had seen the dream. That gives an explanation for his asking that time rather than the other times I had weird dreams. One mystery solved!

Yet, I don't know why it's bothering me so much right now. Eugene-san told me that he led me to these dreams, yet if I were the one originally dreaming the dream, it would make sense for all of the characters to be played by people I know in real life. Doesn't it? Could Eugene maybe have whispered the scenario into my subconscious so my mind would show me a dream using people that I know and care about? Maybe that's what he meant by "leading me" to the dream?

Somehow, that explanation doesn't feel right. In fact, it feels so wrong that it's bothering me even more now. What did Eugene-san mean when he said he was "leading me" to my dreams. Why would there be a pre-existing dream using people I already know to show me a situation that none of us should have normally known about? Unless one of us used psychic powers or something, but we didn't have… the…

Wait a minute.

Psychic powers. The team is chock full of people who use them! Okay, Mai, think. Who has the ability to see into the past enough to possibly create a dream to see what exactly happened? Well, it's not Bou-san. Or John or Ayako. I'm pretty sure it's not Masako either. Lin-san… eh, I wouldn't put it past him, but that somehow feels wrong. It's definitely not Yasuhara-kun. Besides, he didn't show up until later.

Okay, different tactic. Who was with me in the dreams the entire time? Someone who was in both scenarios—the lovers and the five—that could have been it. Akufumi-san probably could have been in the crowd, but I'm just grasping at straws here… The answer probably should have been Naru, huh?

But now the question is was it Naru or was it actually Eugene-san and was he pulling my leg later on when he asked me if I'd seen the dream? Somehow, I don't think Eugene-san would joke around like that on a case. He smiles and comforts and leads me around, but I don't think he would mess with me like that. Then again, he never _did_ properly introduce himself and let me call him Naru the entire time I knew him…

_Besides_, it couldn't be Naru. He doesn't have the ability to go outside his body. But was that even astral projecting? Or something else?

_"I've had worse dreams…"_

Naru said that once. After I told the group about my nightmare about failing an exam. I didn't understand back then. Then again, how could I? He didn't exactly _tell_ us that he saw the deaths of people just by touching their things. He didn't divulge the information that he had visions that came to him in…dreams…

He could have been dreaming. He was asleep. He was in a sleep paralysis. Lin-san had put him there. But then again, that would mean that I got inside Naru's head to share a dream of significant importance to the case with him. How…?

Eugene-san. Maybe that's what he meant by he was "leading me". He was "leading me" right into Naru's head! Ara… if that's how it was, then Naru wouldn't be very happy with me… That would mean Eugene-san was somehow getting into Naru's head, letting me in long enough to see a vision, and then letting me back out. I suppose I wouldn't be happy if I had someone coming into my head all the time either…

But wait, that time, Eugene-san didn't come with me. He was waiting until the dream was over for me to astral project. That's why he asked me if I had seen it. So, if I was in Naru's head because Eugene-san let me in, and Eugene-san wasn't there, and there was a possibility that it was Naru's dream in the first place using his psychometric powers…

Does that mean that I was acting that scenario out with Naru that one time?!

...

EEEHHHHH!?

**_AmyNChan_: In short, Eugene led Mai into a dream that Naru was going over. He was literally acting out the other part. He was literally there, because it's his own head.**

**Mai: *mind is blown***

**AmyNChan: Of course, this is nothing more than half-brained speculations, but it's my half-brained speculations! XD**

**Eugene: While Mai attempts to get herself out of this thinking mess, please take the time to review. If you don't think there's anything to review on, tell us what your own personal headcannons are. Anything out of place could have tons of meaning!**

**AmyNChan: If I learned anything from Ono-sensei, it's that the smallest questions often unravel the biggest mysteries. XD I hope you enjoyed~! *^_^***


	15. I Wish

_**AmyNChan: Just a short thing that came bursting into my mind.**_

_**Oliver: This takes place before the case of the Forgotten Children.**_

_**AmyNChan: Yup! I don't own the Ghost Hunt characters! *^_^***_

"I wish... I wish..."

How many times have I heard those words before? In the voices of children? From my own heart? How many times have I heard of wishes, longings for things thought impossible? An unstable hope that might last for eternity or for only a few moments.

"I wish... I wish..."

How many wishes were there in the world? How many to be granted? How many to be forgotten? How many to be fulfilled? How many to be left incomplete? How many fairytales? How many a reality?

"I wish... I wish..."

Most adults forget their wishes as they get older. Some children forsake an act early. I was one of these. Not through the outside forces that worked against me, for I believe that any other child would have used such trials as a fuel to increase their wishing. No, wishing has never been for me.

"I wish... I wish..."

Wishing is akin to asking for a result without a cause. For expecting a conclusion without effort. It is a cheater's way out of life, and does not have any true impact on the wisher. Results come from work. Effects are derived from causes. Wishing is just a waste of time.

"I wish... I wish..."

Therefore, it is only through my thought process that I concluded that my assistant has only wasted 500 yen on a silly fountain that could never grant her wish. Actions such as throwing yen into wells or wishing on stars are meaningless and without reason or cause.

"All done!" she called out, heading towards the van. I shook my head. I was not going to ask her what she had spent all of that time wishing for. For without work, it would never come to her.

As we finished loading up the van and headed back to Shibuya, I kept an eye out. Only through my work would I complete my true goal. With this in mind, I crossed through another lake we passed by. I would continue to work for my goal, never really knowing or caring what it was that Mai Taniyama had wished for on that day.

_I wish for Naru to be happy..._

**_AmyNChan: Okay, it's not much, but I thought it could happen. Mai just repeats "I wish" ten times at a fountain, makes her wish silently, and tosses a coin in. Naru thinks it's stupid. _**

**_Oliver: Of course it's stupid._**

**_AmyNChan: *shrugs* Everyone's entitled to their own opinion. XD_**

**_Oliver: *looks at you* Read. Review. I'm out of here. *leaves*_**

**_AmyNChan: Mou! Naru!_**


	16. Days of Play

**_AmyNChan: Just something I thought up. I'm watching a couple of cats that remind me so much of Oliver and Eugene, I had to write this._**

**_Luella: AmyChan doesn't own Ghost Hunt or my boys._**

**_AmyNChan: That I don't, Luella. That I don't._**

When Luella had adopted the twins, she knew at once that they were different. Different from the other children, of course, but more important was the fact that they were different from _each other_. For instance, when she first laid eyes on the children, AJ had been socializing with two or three of the other children his age. EC had been nose-deep in a textbook meant for children of the eleventh grade. AJ had greeted them with warm smiles and a cheerful attitude. EC had been serious, instantly asking questions such as where they lived and what their income was.

However, Luella had fallen in love with both children, and was very determined to be a good mother to both. This was her driving motive when she brought the dears home under the new names of Eugene AJ Davis and Oliver EC Davis.

"This is your new home," she told them warmly. Understandably, it would take a week or so for any child to become accustomed to calling a new and unfamiliar house home. It had taken Eugene a matter of days before he confidently ran through the halls of the house, jumped on cushions, and was all right with climbing all over a number of things. To him, it was already home. Oliver, on the other hand, took weeks. It would take that long before he would stop asking if he could take a book from the personal library, before he would wander the house aimlessly on nights where nightmares plagued him, before he would make full use of the music room when there was no one else around. Only then would it be home to him.

Luella often found herself marveling at the differences in her boys. One was more outgoing and openly kind. One was more reserved, yet more loyal than the royal guard once you got on his good side. One would rather spend a day exploring the house and asking questions. One would rather remain inside on a beautiful day, reading book after book on what interested him the most.

One thing, however, that Luella enforced in her house was an hour of play every day. It did not have to be outside, but it did have to be one whole hour of physical activity, preferably play. Eugene—naturally—took to this schedule like a bee to honey. He _thrived_ on the activity and was always eager to get started. Oliver, on the other hand, loathed this time of day. For the first thirty minutes. It would always take coaxing, wheedling, and prodding from both Eugene and Luella to get Oliver involved. However, at the end of the hour, both boys were covered in sweat, breathing hard, and exercising. At the end of every session, Luella would smile at them.

"Did you have fun?" she would ask.

"Of course! I'm gonna go back and shoot a few more hoops," Eugene would call, always taking a bit more time to play. Luella would laugh at his antics before warning him that he absolutely _must_ shower before supper. She would then turn to Oliver, who—more often than not—would attempt to silently escape.

"What about you, Noll?" she would inquire. "Did you have fun?"

"It fulfilled its purpose," his answer would become once he turned ten. Luella would smile at the answer before allowing him to run to the shower. It was his way of telling her that he saw the point of the activity and would continue to do something for one hour each day. It also told her that he did not mind spending the hour in the company of his mother and brother.

And that was something for Luella to smile about.

**_AmyNChan: Okay, so I just imagine Oliver being active for one hour each day. Usually at the end of the day, but he has to stay fit somehow._**

**_Luella: The hour was never a set time each day. Sometimes it would be horseback riding, other times it would be swimming indoors, and occasionally we would simply run laps. Days of play were far more fun, however. The boys were really competitive with each other._**

**_AmyNChan: I'd like to see that! XD Anyhoot 'n holler, please read and review~! *^_^*_**


	17. How to Offer a Job

_**AmyNChan: I was about to work on the next chapter of WAWN, but this popped in my head. Why did it take Naru so long to call her back? Then I thought, he probably didn't even think of it at first. Still, this was a plot bunny that I decided needed to be unleashed upon the world! Mwahahahaha!**_

**_Oliver: As Chan-san continues her idiotic laughing..._**

**_AmyNChan: hahahahahaha!_**

**_Oliver: ...know that she does not have the brain capacity to own Ghost Hunt._**

**_AmyNChan: hahaha-hey!_**

In his line of work, it was a common occurrence to run into those who had a similar situation as himself. Not in the sense of unimaginable power that could endanger his life if not used correctly, but in the sense that they had lost parents, loved ones, and had been forced by life to replace such familial bonds. In England, he had worked cases that involved a recently deceased parent, recently departed siblings, but most often grandparents that had passed away. These cases rarely made it to his desk, but they did occasionally come.

Oliver had never felt a connection with these people. Not in the sense that he would go out of his way to help them out. He did his job, worked diligently to assure that the spirit passed on peacefully rather than having to be exorcised, informed the grieving family that their spirit was now gone, and left the premises. That was all he could and would do for them. He did his job.

"She's an orphan," the principal told him.

At first, this was information. Even if it were necessary, she could not repay him for the camera. However, Lin was in the hospital because of her careless actions. He needed a new assistant and without BSPR to provide one, it seemed as though he would have to improvise.

"Please don't make her repay you for the camera," the principal went on, giving Oliver the idea. He nodded before turning back to the hallway, intent on gaining one new assistant.

* * *

The case had ended yesterday. Lin was healthy and working diligently in his office as SPR's assistant and his parents' eyes and ears. Not that Oliver minded too terribly much. In comparison to the endless paranormal papers that attempted to gain an interview with him, having Lin around was a breeze. He simply watched out for him, not really asking anything in return. It was for this reason that Oliver had imported his favorite chair from England to use in his office.

Still, Oliver found himself distracted. While Lin looked out for him, did not see him as renowned Oliver Davis, and would be strict in the event that he ever used his abilities, he would not call him out on his bull crap. Not directly, at least. Perhaps that was why his mind kept wandering towards the easily angered brunette who had worked with him.

Oliver circled another lake on his map. He did not have time to worry if someone called him out on his bull crap. True, Eugene had done that to him many a time, and he would be a liar if he said that he did not miss his brother's prodding, especially now. However, his first mission was to find his brother. Anything else took a back seat.

* * *

Oliver rode in the passenger-side seat, crossing a very large red "X" through the lake he had circled yesterday. He scanned the map, looking for another lake to investigate. By this point, he and Lin had checked a vast majority of the lakes surrounding the Tokyo area. Any and all of the others would be day trips, at least, to check out.

"We'll need someone to run the office while we're gone," Oliver stated aloud. "Otherwise, it won't be a good investment on BSPR's part to allow this charade."

"Did you have someone in mind? You don't have a driver's license and I have to keep an eye on you," Lin reminded him. Not that Oliver needed reminding.

He already had someone in mind. Someone who could probably use the pay and who had not truly left his mind since his job at her school.

* * *

It did not take him long at all to find the school's number. He would have to pay her, of course, for her time under him. Taking her time over an insured camera seemed just a touch too cruel, especially if he was to be asking her to come work for him.

The phone rang and an administrator picked it up. How ironic. He easily got the school to fetch the young girl.

"Moshi moshi?" her voice came over the phone. He was slightly surprised. Did no one tell her who the call was from? Oh well.

Time to offer the young girl a job.

_**AmyNChan: And there you have it! XD Plot bunny destroyed! *victory dance***_

_**Oliver: You might want to work on the next chapter of your next story at this point in time.**_

_**AmyNChan: *visibly deflates* I know... XD Please read and review, everybody~! *^_^***_

_**Oliver: I am surrounded by morons...**_


	18. Are You An Angel?

_**AmyNChan: Just a bit of drabble loving on John. *^_^* I don't own Akumu no Sumu Ie or Ghost Hunt.**_

"What am I being doubted of?" I ask curiously. This man had valid questions and I was answering them as honestly as I possibly could. After all, my Father disapproves of being deceitful. Also, I am genuinely worried for the residents of this house. They seem quite troubled and if I can do anything to ease their burdens then I will do so. Completing the exorcism and giving Agawa-san the cross charm was the best option I could think of.

"Are you an angel?" the man asks in an odd tone. I blink. Oh, that's a nice thing to say.

_**AmyNChan: Now, AKUMU NO SUMU IE HAS BEEN UPDATED! READ LIKE THE WIND, MY GHOST HUNT FRIENDS! XD**_


	19. In Oliver's Journal

**_AmyNChan: Okay, I know I'm a huge MaiXNaru romantic shipper, but this is something that came into my mind and wouldn't let me leave._**

**_Oliver: Chan-san does not own Ghost Hunt._**

Assumptions. I make them as a part of my methods for hunting ghosts. As a general rule, I go back and test many of these assumptions, unless they are so blatantly obvious that they need not be tested.

As anyone who would read this—including mother and quite possibly Madoka—read this, they would think that I adhere to this policy in my personal relations as well as my work. This—an assumption in itself—would not be wrong.

What would be wrong is the assumption that I did not test Mai Taniyama's statement that day by the lake. I had been waiting for the divers to dredge up Gene, already suspecting that his brain was now too far decayed for any proper scientific study. Everybody dies, Gene simply went far earlier than any of us had thought he would. That was when Mai stated her unbelievably stupid confession.

True, she inspired a trust in me that not many can achieve easily. And at an impressive rate, at that. There were several moments when I tested that trust, wondered if I should allow her knowledge as to my identity and my real mission in Japan. On my third test—where I bent a spoon before her eyes—she failed me. I knew that I could not tell her at that point. Still, she did keep my trust as Kazuya Shibuya. Still a feat which was remarkable.

I digress. My initial point was that when she had confessed, she already had my trust. Yet, something felt off. I knew it could not be me that she meant to say such things to. We were friends and I trusted her, but what she felt could not have been for me. I had heard this tone of voice before. I had seen those eyes before. They had never been for me. Always for Gene.

Madoka thought what I responded with was cruel. I call it testing an assumption. It was a direct question, one that Mai would be able to answer truthfully. It was not only her inability to answer that told me she had gotten it wrong. It was her tears, her obvious guilt. I trusted Mai's initial reaction—as I had learned to do quite a while ago—and made my conclusion from there.

Mai's first innocent love had been my dead twin brother, Eugene Davis.

It makes perfect sense. I attempted to console her, but that only earned her pity. Pity is something I have neither want nor need of. I am an idiot in the realm of emotions, but pity is something I will not stand for.

When I return to Japan in two months, I have hope that I will be able to continue to trust her. If nothing else, after all of this blows over and she has found a new love, we will be friends. Perhaps that will happen one day. For now, however, I will maintain distance so as not to hurt her by reminding her too much of Gene.

I don't want to hurt her more than she already is.

_**AmyNChan: ...please read and review! *^_^***_


	20. Stay Safe: Alt Ending

_**AmyNChan: Okay, if you guys haven't read Naruisawesome's **__**Stay Safe**__**, I recommend you read that before reading this oneshot. Um, since this one's a bit sad, I'm just gonna say I don't own Ghost Hunt, and this is a spinoff of Naruisawesome's **__**Stay Safe**__**, so… enjoy. ^^;**_

_**edit: edited a little bit. I was tired when I first wrote it. XDD**_

_I should have been here..._ Oliver thought, his eyes hard as steel as he burst into the hospital. His wife had been here for a total of nineteen hours and he had come as quickly as he could. He had booked the next flight to Japan as soon as he had heard and had landed on the foreign soil within eighteen hours of hearing the news. He had not even stopped to inform anyone of his arrival. It had taken him a while to get from the airport to the hospital, but he was finally here.

"Mai Davis," he said curtly, the tone of his voice and his disheveled appearance probably frightening the poor nurse up front. He could not bring himself to care. In fact, his surprise—which led to a lack of time which he could be using to find his wife—angered him further. He decided to spell it out for the man. "Tell me what room number she's in."

"I need to see—"

"Where is my wife?" Oliver growled, his irritation spiking. This man was wasting valuable time by asking unnecessary questions. The raven-haired man placed his left hand upon the table, indicating his wedding ring. "My name is Oliver, my wife is Mai, she is in her first pregnancy, she is in this hospital, and you are going to tell me what room number she is in right now."

The anger was palpable, yet the male nurse somehow remained calm. He clicked through the computer a few moments, cast a glance in Oliver's direction, nodded to himself, and proceeded to answer the man's question.

"Currently, she's in ICU, but she's about to be moved to the third floor, room 301. The rest of her family will be waiting for you," the nurse supplied, but Oliver had been gone the moment he had a number. He wasted no time on an elevator and, instead, scurried up the stairs to the third floor.

"…should have been there…" a familiar voice sobbed as he got closer. His eyes narrowed. The voice was correct. Its owner _should_ have been there to prevent this kind of thing from happening. It was why he had enlisted her help in the first place. Clearly, he had acquired poor judgment in his years.

"There was nothing you could have done, Mori-san," another voice attempted comfort. Anyone could tell the innocent comfort that the priest's voice held. However, even the ever-innocent John could not quell Oliver's fury. He had left a list. A _list!_

Oliver turned the corner to see pink hair shaking back and forth, also disagreeing with John's statement. "Yes there was! I should have stayed right by her side, linked arms or something, I don't know! But what am I gonna tell her when…"

The woman's voice petered out as soon as a stretcher moved past the group. Everyone's heads turned instantly to see their beloved Mai completely unconscious and being wheeled into a room for healing. Matsuzaki-san immediately split off to speak with the doctor about the young woman's condition as well as the status of the baby while everyone else noted their new addition. Guilt flooded the faces of most everyone there. Oliver struggled to keep his voice even.

"Give me one good reason as to why I shouldn't kill you right now. The law is no excuse."

* * *

The first thing Mai was aware of was silence. The kind of silence interrupted by only blinking machinery and vitals, but otherwise there was nothing. No bickering that was common of the monk and priestess. No attempts to stop said fighting. No Madoka there, no constant typing of Lin.

This silence was replaced by another harrowing feeling. A feeling that kicked her in the gut and left her so very empty. A feeling that brought tears to her eyes before she could find a name for this horrid pain she felt in her very core. Lifelessness. Emptiness. Loneliness.

What if—

Mai's eyes flew open and her arms—despite having needles in them and not very much strength—flew to her abdomen. Salty tears poured down her face as she suffered in a blind panic. Her baby. Hers and Naru's baby. What happened—

"It's no use," a voice she had been literally _aching_ to hear spoke, his voice in dreadful monotone. Not even the lilt of happiness that she usually heard when it was just them. Her eyes darted to her left side to find her husband sitting there, his arms folded. He did not look at her.

"N—Naru…" she hiccupped. She wanted to ask him so many things. When did he get back from England? What happened to her? But most importantly… "Our baby.. is our baby…?"

"Mai, it's no use…" he repeated. It was then that Mai noticed something. Tear tracks running down his face. A flow that had not ceased yet, as a few more tears ran down his face. It was not something she could see easily in the dark. Her heart fell, tumbling through time and space, leaving her chest cavity as empty as…

"Wh-what do you mean 'no use'? Naru? Tell me they saved… Naru?!" she cried out, bordering on hysteria now. She wanted him to scold her, tell her that anxiety would put unneeded stress on the baby. Tell her that she should calm down and everything would be fine. Lecture her on how she had made him worry and fly out to Japan for no good reason.

He could not mean…

"The fetus lasted several hours after the initial impact, but the surgery required to save your life put too much stress on the environment," he recited, his voice cracking thrice in such a short explanation. Mai's mind refused to connect the dots. She brought her arms around her midsection protectively. Their baby…

"O-Oliver…" she whimpered, her tears coming through even more harshly. For the first time in months, her husband looked her in the eye. She had almost never seen him look so vulnerable, so defeated, so hurt, so ashamed.

"Mai, you had a miscarriage. We lost the baby."

* * *

The entire group stood outside of Mai's room, as they had for the past six hours. Each of them had reacted to the news. Masako had become weak enough to need a rest. John had offered a prayer for the unborn child's soul, that it might find peace with the Lord. The monk and priestess had fallen silent, each to their own tears. Madoka had needed sedation as she felt wholly responsible for the terrible outcome. Lin had not left his girlfriend's side. Yasuhara simply sat in shock, not daring to say a single word.

Each of them wondered how the would-be mother would react to the news. When they heard unabashed screaming and wailing, they knew.

And each of them blamed themselves in some small way or another.

* * *

Three days after the accident, Mai was released from the hospital. She and Oliver returned to their apartment. Under other circumstances, celebration would be taking place. But not now.

Not now that their growing family had been brutally shrunk.

The two only sat together in the living room. Mai went to bed first, and Oliver sat in the room alone. He fisted his hands over his face, hiding it from his own home. He should have never agreed to his father's proposal. He should have stayed here in Japan. He should have remained by Mai's side through her…

He should have been here. He should have kept Mai in his sights. Through his grief, he made a resolution. Mai was not going to be placed in that kind of danger again.

And this time, he was not going to entrust her to anyone.

* * *

Mai could not tell the days from the weeks from the months. Her world grew smaller and smaller. She felt so alone. She had failed. Failed because of a stupid phone call. She had failed her husband. She had failed her baby. She had failed. Failed to be a mother, to be a responsible person. It ate her away until she could no longer leave the apartment.

She could not stand it. Not to be near the people who she had let herself be happy with. How could she face them? How could she look at them and try to smile? How could she? How could she be happy when her baby could not?

Her beautiful baby boy who had never gotten to live…

* * *

A third onlooker watched as the two people he cared about most drifted further and further apart. One became obsessed with the other's physical protection. The other could no longer see the world passing before her eyes. He could tell that without anyone to pull them out of this hazardous rut, they would only be heading for disaster. But what could he do?

After all, they had both been blocking his interference since the accident.

* * *

It was an autumn day. Not that Mai could tell. She hardly saw the passing of the season. Barely knew of anything besides her pain. That was what her world was. Pain. Pain and isolation, Oliver had made sure of the latter. Still, Mai could not bring herself to blame him. After all, it had been her inadequacy that had brought her to this point. Her own inability to be cautious and careful.

Oliver checked in on the room, noting again that she had not moved within the past hour. As he left, she wondered to herself when he had started such practices. When had she been so out of it to not notice that he was giving up his entire life to keep her protected? More importantly, did he deserve such a fate? To look after someone who could obviously no longer care for themselves?

No. He did not deserve that at all.

* * *

The plan had been simple. Oliver had stopped attending the office a while ago. He had been remotely operating the show and had led cases from home. He never left because she never left. He was always keeping an eye on her, keeping her safe.

Now she was saving him from such a life.

She was going to awaken at midnight, pack only the bare necessities, and remove herself from his life. Perhaps without her around, he could begin to heal. He could move forward. Go outside—at least to the office—for the first time in a year. Maybe he could find someone better than her. Someone who could give him the child she had lost. Someone capable, someone smart…

Someone who would not be caught in trying to sneak away.

"What are you doing?" he asked. It was in that same monotone, but it held the same caution she had been hearing for a year. Tears welled up in her eyes and she willed them not to overflow.

"I'm leaving," she stated, avoiding eye contact and instead looking at her flimsy bag in her hands. It seemed so small to her now. She felt as if this tiny bag, the small flimsy material giving her hope for a way out of this never-ending madness, was the only thing that truly understood her. Illogical, but that was what she felt.

"No," he responded, the first new emotion in a year that she had heard coming from him. Her eyes widened as she recalled that his voice made a slight fluctuation from deep to deeper and back again when he panicked. When was the last time she had heard that. The tears began to sting at her eyes, but she did not let them pass.

"I've got to do this…" she told him, her own voice trembling. She had felt nothing but grief and guilt for the past year, but this emotion. She could not say she missed the feeling of being scared, but she had missed her own courage. It was something she had wanted back. If only not in these circumstances. Still…

"No, Mai, you don't," he said. He swiftly moved towards her and was surprised when she jerked away, faster than she had moved in the past year. It was as though he had burned her. She was keeping her distance from him and her frown had a bit more fire behind it.

"Yes, I do!" she cried out, her tone of voice surprising them both. Before they could dwell on her resurfacing spectrum of emotions, she continued. "I can't do this anymore! I can't keep burdening you and you can't keep doing this! What happened was my fault! I should have paid attention, I shouldn't have stopped in the middle of the road, I should have stayed with Madoka, I should have jumped out of the way, I should have been better but I wasn't! I wasn't good enough to be a mom and God took away my baby and I hate it!"

Oliver blinked as his wife screamed at him, tears freely flowing from her eyes that were clenched shut tightly. "Mai…"

"No, don't even!" she raged. Her anger flowed out of her, forming the words she had refused to say since then. "If I hadn't been so careless our baby would have been seven months old now! He would be a good baby loved by all of SPR! Luella would have a grandbaby and everyone would still be together and happy! It's all my fault! And it's my fault that I've dragged you down with me! The least I can do is let you go so at least _you_ can have a chance—!"

"A chance at what, Mai?" Oliver burst, his anger having begun to grow when she began to place the blame squarely on her own shoulders. Did she not know? "I can't even get up in the morning if I don't see you there! What happens if you're gone? Lin can run the office and Martin's already trained those recruits! My life without you in it isn't a life at all!"

"But it would be better than what you're doing right now!" Mai screeched in his face, finally turning her blazing cinnamon eyes to his furious sapphire orbs. "You're so obsessed with protecting me, but it's all you think about anymore! You didn't even think about ghost hunting this much! It's an obsession and it's not healthy!"

"You're one to talk!" Oliver returned hotly. "Do you have any idea what it's like, seeing you wither away day after day? Not knowing if I'll ever get to see my wife again? In case you haven't noticed, _Mai_, you've been in a psychological comatose state since we came home a year ago! Do you know how many times I have to sit there and watch you, hoping that you're not going to do anything stupid or drastic?! I haven't lost hope that maybe one day I'll get you back, and that's the only hope I have!"

"Why can't you understand I'm doing this so you can get better and have a complete life?!" Mai sobbed. If she had been nothing but a burden for the past year, then he was better off—

"Dammit, Mai, get it through your head!" Oliver said as he lifted her head with surprising gentleness. The kiss he gave her, however, was desperate, rough, heated, and impassioned. It was everything he had wanted to tell her in the past year that he could not find the words to say. It was his hope that his Mai would come back to him someday. It was his hope that perhaps she still loved him.

Because only the Lord above knew how much he loved her.

After a few moments of a still Mai, Oliver wondered if what they had once had now been broken forever. If he would never have his Mai back. He began to withdraw slowly, savoring her taste, even if it was lined with tears. Could his hope have been for nothing?

Mai could feel her husband slipping through her fingers. But this was what she had wanted, was it not? The chance to let him have a better life? With someone who would be able to give him what he needed? What he—

_But that means I won't ever be with him again…_ Mai realized belatedly. Her eyes widened in realization. If she let him go now, she would never have another chance to be with him again. She would be alone. All alone. Even if another man came into her life, she would be alone. Because that man would not be him.

_I'm s selfish…_ she realized as she desperately tossed her bag to the side and pulled her husband back in. She kissed him hastily, hungrily, desperately, hoping she was not too late. Kiss after painfully short kiss she drew from his lips, feeding on it like a bear does honey.

It took him only moments to respond.

The duet found each other again. They felt more alive than they had in a long, long while. They kept each other close and slowly made their way away from the front door. Pure and raw emotion—the hurt they had been feeling separately, the loneliness they had both suffered, the twisted senses of self-inflicted guilt and responsibilities, the horrible shock at having almost lost each other completely. All of these and more intermingled with tears and love.

Because in that night, with that fight, they had found each other once again.

* * *

"I love you," Mai murmured to the five year old who snuggled deeply into her bed. The little girl looked up to her mother with big blue eyes. It had been six years since the miscarriage.

"Where's daddy, mama? He always gives me a kiss right here," the girl stated, pointing stubbornly to her forehead. Mai smiled as she felt her husband's presence behind the door. He had just come home from work, but he would make a detour for his daughter.

Her prediction was right as Oliver walked into the room, his briefcase set down by the door. The little girl's eyes widened happily as she saw the man in question.

"Daddy!" she cried out, wiggling happily as she impatiently waited for her father to come to her side. Instantly, she wrapped her tiny arms around his neck. "I missed you! Mommy missed you too, but I missed you thiiis much!"

She exaggerated her hands as far as they would spread to indicate her point. Oliver smiled softly at his daughter, a chuckle passing his lips. Mai always loved it when he did that. Especially because only his family was permitted to hear such a sound come from his lips.

"I missed you both, too," he answered honestly, looking from one girl of his family to the other. Mai felt warm when his gaze passed over to her and she smiled. Oliver returned his attention to his daughter. "But now it is time for bed. I'll take you to school in the morning so we can talk later, all right?"

"Aw… okay," the girl consented as she reluctantly slid down into her covers. She cast a hopeful look at her father and released a pleased giggle when he pressed his lips to her forehead in a loving gesture. She also smiled when her mother kissed her cheeks and ensured that her covers were adequately covering her daughter and sheltering her from the cold.

"Goodnight mommy, goodnight daddy," she smiled as her parents left the room. She yawned widely and turned over in her bed, noting the other two figures in the room. She smiled as she also bid them goodnight.

"Goodnight uncle Gene, goodnight _Aniki_."

_**AmyNChan: Okay, so NIA-chan didn't have Mai have a miscarriage, so this won't happen, but this was my take.**_

_**Mai: You are cruel.**_

_**AmyNChan: *lifts hands in surrender* This was what went through my head, honestly. o.o Please don't kill me, Naru.**_

_**Naru: You have approximately three seconds to run.**_

_**AmyNChan: *gone***_

_**John: Please review, but also please go read Naruisawesome's **__**Stay Safe**__**. It really is a good tale that you will enjoy.**_


	21. Why Don't You Ask?

**_AmyNChan: Okay, just a oneshot about something going through my brain right now._**

**_Mai: AmyChan doesn't own Ghost Hunt!_**

"Why don't you just ask him about it?"

It was a question Ayako had asked her a few weeks ago, and the answer that had been on the tip of her tongue lingered still. The 'him' in question was obvious, the question she was to pose him was slightly more difficult.

Mai had been in the midst of a pity-party. One of the types not to be taken literally and one that quite plainly meant that she just needed a good cry. Ayako had happened to be nearby when she had begun feeling down, and was thus exposed to all of Mai's laments. She heard how insecure she was about school, about how some times she missed her parents so much that she burst into spontaneous tears, about how she did not see her friends very often anymore and how she sometimes wondered if the even _wanted_ to hang around her anymore. She even heard her lament about her one and only.

"Naru doesn't even like me at all. He doesn't care what I have to say, only that I make dang good tea. What if I break my hands and I can't make tea the same way ever again?"

Of course, Mai had known it was stupid once it had come out of her mouth. She was good at more than just tea. She actually _did_ know how to do her job, thankyouverymuch! There were just times where she thought that other people could do it better and the only reason she was kept around was because of Naru's empathy on the fact that she was an orphan and that she made tea he kept demanding every half hour.

Yet that did not stop Ayako from attempting to dissolve the girl's fear herself. She had told the girl that _of course_ Naru liked her, only that he was being too stubborn about it. Mai had shaken her head, remembering the way he had deflected her confession so easily. After seeing that the down girl would not be swayed easily, she asked the most obvious question.

Which led to Mai sitting here, weeks later, thinking about it. Those bouts of sadness did not happen very often, and it was pure coincidence that Ayako happened to be in the same ice cream shop as her when she went to get her fix, but this one seemed to be leaving a lasting mark. Why did she not ask Naru about it? Why did she not ask if they were friends, at least?

Perhaps she was just a coward. She would rather face the bouts of mini-depression and come out of them thinking that there was a chance that he could even consider her a friend than to hear from his lips that their relationship was strictly professional. She did not want to risk her heart in that way. To know for an absolute fact—rather than as a delusion of the downs—that he did not like her at all would be too much for her to handle.

Still, the thought was tempting. What if he said yes? What if he said they were friends? He would call her an idiot for not knowing, surely, but it would put the fears to rest. She could remember him telling her clearly that they were more than just boss and employee, if only on a level of friendship. Would that be worth it?

"Mai, tea," the boss called. Mai gulped. Coward it was, then. She could never ask.

_**AmyNChan: Before you tell me Mai never gets sad or something, I think there are times in every girl's life where they have the sudden sad swings. It happens, but you can end up saying more than you meant to while it happens. o_o**_

_**Mai: *zips the lip as she gives Naru his tea***_

_**AmyNChan: Anyway, please read and review~! *^_^***_


	22. The Reason I Smile

**_AmyNChan: A snippet that came to mind over a few minutes._**

**_Gene: AmyChan doesn't own Ghost Hunt! *^_^*_**

There are some things in this world that we ignore. Some things we pretend to ignore, but actually don't. Some things which we want to ignore but can't. Some things that slip our memories and turn out to be important.

I wish I could ignore them. They haunt me and call my name endlessly. If it were not for my rock, the stability that has been with me all my life, I would not know what to do with them. The voices I cannot ignore. The voices _they_ can ignore. The living voices of the dead.

I've been told that I'm merely imagining these voices. That my knowledge about facts long since passed is merely coincidental. I'm told that I'm delirious by everyone. Except him.

Except my brother. Only he knows how hard it is for me. Perhaps that's why he takes it upon himself to be so serious. To take upon himself the problems of the dead so I don't have to listen to them. My brother does this for me, and he does it because he cannot bear to hear me in the middle of the night, moaning and crying because I have not been left alone.

When did my dreams stop? When did his begin? When was it no longer me having the nightmares, but Noll instead? He had told me that he would take my burden away from me. I had no idea he actually would.

I want to repay him. He has taken so much for my sake. For the sake of his older brother. Now what can I do? What can I do for my little brother, he that took everything that could have bothered me away?

Smile, he tells me. Just smile. And so I shall. I will smile for you, Noll. I will smile and figure this out. I will apologize with my smile and I will thank you with my smile. For taking my burdens, I hope to repay you by lifting a few of your own.

Noll, I smile now because I want you to smile. Even though you cannot see it, I am still smiling for you. Noll.

Noll, I will always be here for you. Smiling. Hoping that one day, you can smile, too.

_**AmyNChan: *drops this casually and walks away***_


	23. The Trilogy

_**AmyNChan: This just kinda poofed into my head and didn't want to go away. XD**_

_**Mai: lol! AmyChan doesn't own Ghost Hunt! **_

_**AmyNChan: lol, nope! XD**_

"Thank you very much," Mai Taniyama said as she escorted the movers out of her new home. The men tipped their hats, thanked her for her generous meal, and were on their way to call it a night. Mai closed the door and locked it tight. She smiled.

Her new home was by no means extravagant, but it was a place she could call her own. There was a kind living area in the front adjacent to the kitchen. Behind those two rooms were the bathroom, bedroom, and a small study. Each seemed unfurnished for now, but Mai knew it would become a warm and inviting home as soon as she distributed the furniture and her personal treasures to their new proper positions.

"Time to get started," the girl said with a smile as she stretched her arms. The first thing to do was unload the cooker. Her futon would be last. Lest she take a break and fall asleep upon it.

* * *

"Mai, tea," Naru called. The assistant nodded with a huff as she stood. Honestly, a man who ran his own business could probably afford to use a few manners every now and again. Mai set the tea leaves inside her kettle and waited.

She was in the midst of deciding what else she could do with her own small living quarters when the kettle began to shriek for attention. She gave it quickly and finished making the tea for her boss, her superior, and herself.

"Lin-san, would you like some tea?" Mai asked as a courtesy. She knew he would not turn her tea down any longer—a few years of friendship would do that to you—and was rewarded with a silent nod. She walked into the office and set the beverage on his desk.

"Thank you, Taniyama-san," he said. Mai smiled before leaving the man to his work. She turned to her boss's door and knocked.

"Come in."

Mai did as she was told. She set the tea down and waited. The office was as bleak as ever, she was able to note. The only item in the room that said anything of personality was a picture on the corner of his desk. A small present Mai had given to him for the past Christmas. Everything else was cold and detached.

"If you've time to study my office then you've time to work," Naru said. Mai narrowed her eyes on the black haired man with pale skin. His eyes—a penetrating blue—did not even glance in her direction.

"Would it kill you to say thank you?" Mai asked.

"I'd rather not find out." Naru turned over the paper in his hand, studying it. Mai wondered if the case was interesting to him or not.

"Maybe I should call Madoka and ask her about those manners you're supposed to have."

"Maybe I should retract that raise you earned last month."

"You— Naru, you horrible little—" Mai found no words to express her displeasure and settled instead for turning heel and slamming the door of Naru's office. Only then did the male look up from his paper and smirk. A few years had not changed either of them very much.

* * *

Mai settled for placing the picture of her parents on her kitchen table. She would be able to have meals with them and tell them everything going on with her life this way. With that settled, she felt as though she could now call this place her home.

A soft thud caught her attention. It was coming from the study. The brunette girl walked to the room and opened the door, facing only slight trepidation. If anything, she was curious. The thud came again and Mai turned her head. A book of hers now lay on the ground.

"How did you get there?" she asked. She picked up the book and noted its cover. A wild fantasy that she had bought. It had filled her with suspense and terror, drama and excitement. A murder mystery that seemed wrapped endlessly in layers of red herrings and subtle clues. She had just finished the book before the move.

"I'm sorry, I dropped it."

Mai turned around. She could have been almost certain that she had heard a voice just now. Perhaps her job was getting to her head? Perhaps she really did hear a voice? After all, she had not put up the charms yet.

"I didn't mean to, I was just trying to see if I could move it a little."

The voice seemed harmless enough. Mai had no sense of danger from this voice, only apologetics. She turned again. Where was the voice coming from?

"Who are you?" Mai asked. She heard a slight intake of breath. A rustling of cloth. The padding of footsteps.

"Can you see me?"

"No, I can only hear you. I could probably see you if I wanted, though," Mai said. A wave of excitement rushed through her. Excitement that she knew was not her own.

"Oh, that's fine. I mean, if you want to see me you can do whatever, but no one's been able to hear me before. Not since I died, anyways. Oh, where are my manners? I'm Rosalie. Hanajima Rosalie. But you can call me Rose if you like."

"How long have you been here, Rose?" Mai asked. She waited a few moments as the voice pondered its answer. She looked on the back of her book. The summary was encircled by a dragon clothed in blood-red scales.

"I don't know. Sometimes it feels like months, other times it feels like days. I don't know how long I spend dreaming so I can't really tell you."

"You dream?" Mai looked around for her talking companion, knowing that she could not see the spirit. "What about?"

"Oh, I dream of my stories. I hope to write them down somehow and get them published. I was almost done with my first book when I died. I'm trying to move things so I can write it down and send it in."

"Is that your unresolved business?" Mai asked. She could feel the agreement before it was heard.

"Yes. There are three books. They're all in my head; I just have to get strong enough to write them down. The manuscript for the first is even hidden under the floorboard here in the study!"

Mai scanned the floorboards. All of them looked clean and new, not a single one out of place. She did remember one that gave her some trouble while she was cleaning, though. If she remembered right, it was...

"Is this it?" Mai pulled what seemed to be a bundle of papers out from underneath the floor. She turned it over in her hands. Easily one hundred pages or more. Excitement as well as a hint of fear was tangible in the air.

"Yes. Please don't burn it, I worked very hard on it."

"Would you mind if I read it?" Mai asked. Her fingers were already playing with the knot on the back. "I promise to be very careful with it."

"Please, be my guest! When you're done, can you tell me what you think?"

"Of course I will, Rose." Mai opened up to the first place before she remembered something. "Rose?"

"Yes?"

"Before I forget to introduce myself, my name is Taniyama Mai, but you can just call me Mai."

"Oh. It's very nice to meet you, Mai."

"It's nice to meet you, too."

* * *

Naru resisted the urge to rub his eyes. Mai was reading, but that alone was not cause enough to cause his disbelief. She was writing and taking notes. On what appeared to be a manuscript. The boy knew very well what those looked like, having written quite a few himself. His were in the realm of educational novels concerning the paranormal. He questioned what sort of manuscript Mai would be in possession of.

"Mai, you have more files to sort," he said. His assistant blinked twice before she looked up.

"Naru, you're out of your office."

"If you are through stating the obvious, I have more case files for you to sort." Naru attempted to look at the manuscript she had been reading, but she saw what he was up to. She placed a bookmark at her spot and shut the pages with care.

"It belongs to a friend," she said. She offered no other explanation and Naru was not going to pry it from her.

"The case files."

"Right, I'll get to it."

If manuscripts were going to make Mai more eager to work, perhaps he could get her to read a few of his own.

* * *

"Rose?" Mai held the manuscript against her chest. She could feel Rose's accompaniment sooner than she heard a response.

"I'm here, Mai. Did you finish it?"

"Yeah, I did," Mai said. A wave of nervousness and excitement rolled through her core.

"What did you think of it? Should I have added a new character? Did the plot go okay? What about Tress? Or the dynamic between Prell and Henna?"

"Rose, I love it." Mai ran her thumb over the top of the manuscript. "The character dynamics were amazing, the writing was fluid, I could actually feel for the characters. The only thing it's missing is an ending and I'd say it would be amazing."

"You really think so?"

"I know so. Do you know how the story ends?" Mai asked. She wanted to know, but she also wanted to see the story finished and sold. She wanted other people to join into this world of daring and rescue, love and loss.

"I told you before that it's the first part to a trilogy. It'll take me years to gather enough energy to write even the end."

Disappointment settled into Mai's stomach. The story was so enticing. So powerful. It would be a shame not to have it done as swiftly as possible. "Is there anything I could do to help?"

"Nothing I can think of. Your praise is enough."

"How about if I lend you my hand?" Mai asked. It was an offer she meant, despite the shock and confusion that settled about her as though a blanket on a winter's night. The air was still for a few moments.

"How...?"

Mai wasted no more time in gathering a pencil and a few sheets of paper. She poised her hand and spoke with confidence. "You just use my hand to write what you want. It should take less energy than doing it by yourself and if you've already got the ending planned out in your head it shouldn't take too long to do."

"Mai... I don't know..."

"I've seen this happen a few times before." Mai's reassuring words seemed to have an effect on Rose. "You're not dangerous and I trust you. Besides, if this helps you to move on that's even more of a reason to give it a try. What do you say?"

Seconds ticked by before Mai felt her hand tremble. It moved of its own accord across the page, writing in neat scrawl. Before Mai's eyes the ending of the tale unfolded, painting a picture for her that she felt was appropriate for the tale. The plot gave one final jerk of a twist before it lay limp, exhausted. Tears fell from Mai's eyes at the loss of some characters and the ones who were left behind.

"Mai?"

"Sorry, it's just really great," Mai said. She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled. "We can do things this way until you're done with your trilogy. Maybe then you'll be able to move on." A wave of joy burst through Mai's being and she could swear that she heard sniffling in the background.

"Mai...how can I ever repay you?"

Mai only answered the spirit's joyful sobs with a smile. It was a smile with less energy than when she started, but it was a smile nonetheless.

* * *

A year came and went for Naru. It was another year filled with cases, with those idiots he called his coworkers—and friends—and with Mai. He noted that over the past year her work had actually suffered. Over the first few months, she had been surpassing his expectations. She had arrived for work on time, did as she was instructed when she was instructed to do so, and even seemed livelier than usual. He had supposed that the raise he had given her was part of the reason, but had only ever tried pushing the subject once.

Her response had been cryptic, but she had not shown any signs of underlying distress or turmoil. He had let her be.

Now she arrived to work almost listless. Her work was being done, true, but it was all that was accomplished. Whenever he picked a fight with her—something he did to pass time and to see colors of expression fly across Mai's face—she now simply left. Where she would once demand manners and patience of him, she now simply allowed him to do as he pleased.

It was unsettling, and he could see bags pulling under her eyes day after day.

"Mai, tea."

As he had come to expect for the past month, his order was followed without a sound. He attempted to focus on a case but found his concerns to be laid elsewhere. With his brunette assistant.

A knock on the door called his attention to the present. "Come in."

Mai entered silently, placed the china on his desk, and turned as though to leave. Naru heaved a sigh. Enough was enough.

"Mai, I do not believe I have dismissed you."

Rather than comment on the fact that he never dismissed her or the fact that she had files waiting for her in the other room, Mai's only response was to face him. Her brown eyes, once so lively and filled with cinnamon, now lay as dark pools of murky brown. When was the last time she had taken advantage of her sick leave?

Perhaps some time away from the paranormal would do her some good. Perhaps that was what she needed in order to return to the vivacious and fiery Mai he knew and cared deeply for. Perhaps that was it.

"I want you to take the weekend off," he said in as professional a tone as he could. It was very convincing. "You've not been yourself and it is affecting your work."

Rather than point out that she had been doing all he had asked of her for the past year and that her work rate was through the roof, Mai made no move to object to his request. Instead, she nodded without sound. Naru frowned. She needed a vacation.

"Mai. Take the next two days off. When you come back, I'd like to see you in my office," he said. Mai nodded again. Silently.

Naru wished he could say something. Wished he could know what to tell her in order to have her open up. Wished he was close enough to know what was wrong with her so he could help. Wished he did not know that simply demanding to be told what was wrong would not work. He had tried covert methods last week. He wished to do something productive to help her. This was his answer.

He nodded her away and frowned as she left. He hoped he had made the right choice.

* * *

"Mai, aren't you tired?"

Of course she was, but she was not about to tell that to Rosalie. "I'm fine, Rose. Aren't you close to finishing the third book now?"

"Yes, but I feel like I'm using you too often sometimes. You get a tired look and it feels like it's my fault that it happens sometimes…"

"Don't worry about it," Mai said. She smiled wearily at the room. "Just think that we're almost done with your books and you'll be able to cross over soon. You won't have to worry about this place anymore once that book is out. You'll be with your parents and grandparents."

"That would be nice…but what about you? You'll be alone again."

Mai kept her mouth shut. Over the past year, Rosalie had become something akin to a best friend. She knew everything Mai had told her, and Rosalie had told her everything she could in return. They knew each other's hopes and fears, weaknesses and strengths, dreams and nightmares.

"I don't want to leave you all alone again. You told me that it's the one thing about your life you wish you could change."

"Rose, there are a lot of things I wish I could change about my life sometimes, but at the end of the day I am who I am because of the things that have happened to me. I can't change any of them, but keep making the best of them." Mai traced her fingers over the paper. "Right now, I'm going to help you fulfill your life's goal so you can cross over. And I want you to cross over because it's what's good for you, okay?"

A feeling of loneliness overcame the study where the two had worked together for the past year. Mai attempted to shake it off but could not bring herself to smile any more.

"Let's get this done, Rose. We're already halfway through the book."

* * *

The spirit took a hold of Mai's hand once more, flowing words onto the page. Truthfully, she was very grateful to this wonderful girl for her assistance, for her help. She would have never gotten as far as she had without this kind young woman. She only wished there was something she could do in return before she crossed over—which she only planned on doing because Mai had been so insistent over it the past year. Rosalie was scared of the change, but knew that Mai was a good person and would not lead her into danger.

The hand she was controlling shook for a moment, then went completely limp. Rosalie turned her head to see her friend collapsed onto the desk. She bit her lip. She should have insisted on another rest. Maybe two weeks instead of one this time. It was then that she noticed.

Mai was breathing irregularly. The bags under her eyes were prominent. She was pale.

_Mai, what have I done to you?_ Rosalie panicked and worried, withdrawing her hand swiftly. What had she done to this kind soul? She had gotten sick and only seemed to be getting worse. She looked around the office for something, anything—

There! On a notepad. It was the phone number of Mai's work. SPR. Rosalie remembered Mai saying a lot of things about them, a 'Naru' in particular. Obviously, she had never met any of the members face-to-face, but she certainly hoped that any one of them that would pick up a phone would rush over to the kind girl's aide.

Rosalie spent five minutes attempting to get the phone off its cradle. She pushed and shoved at it time and time again. Too many times she had phased right through. The shallow gasps she could hear from Mai were the only thing keeping her from getting too frustrated to carry on.

"Just move already!" The phone fell off of its cradle, ready for its buttons to be pushed.

Unwilling to look a gift horse in the mouth, Rosalie rode on her newfound strength to push the buttons she needed. A ringing sound blessed her ears once the last digit had been pressed. It rang once. Twice. Thrice.

"Shibuya Psychic Research, Shibuya speaking," an even voice said over the line. Rosalie could have jumped with excitement. She had gotten the right number. Mai's wheezing breath called her to focus on the task at hand.

"Naru-san," she yelled. "Please come to Mai's house, it is urgent. She needs help."

"Repeat what you've said. You're breaking up."

"She can't breathe, please come and help. She told you where she lived just last week. Please, Naru-san, I don't know what's happening to her. Please come and help Mai."

The sound of a disconnected line was all that welcomed Rosalie at the end of her plea. She hoped that meant help was on the way. She returned to Mai's side, wondering and worrying what she could do to fix the awful mess she had created.

* * *

Naru wasted no time upon arriving at Mai's house. It was a simple one story that she had been quite proud to purchase. Naru had not said anything about her choice to buy a house with the money she had earned and saved. In fact, such an investment was why he had put forth an application to give her a raise.

However, he had never expected to be the one pulling her spare key from under the doormat in order to tell if she was all right. He scanned the front portion of the house and noted nothing out of the ordinary. He proceeded to the back. The first place he checked was the study.

"Mai!" Naru entered the room and made his way to her side. Her head had hit the top corner of her desk, which had cut the skin. The profuse bleeding was normal of a head would but was not welcome. He carefully drew her back from the desk and gathered her up in his arms. He needed to put her down on top of her futon and find the first aid kit. If Mai organized this place like she did the office, then it would be in the bathroom.

Naru emerged from the girl's bathroom with her first aid kit. It was an occasion that he was grateful for the girl's predictability. He was swift in clearing the blood away and was relieved when the cut appeared to be small. It took no more than a small bandage to protect the damage.

But her face was so pale and her eyes still so baggy. Her breathing was not getting any better and yet there was no fever. She was not sick but she was having trouble with basic bodily functions.

"…all right?"

Naru's ears sharpened. He could have sworn he had heard a voice. Not Mai's. It belonged to someone else.

"…me…Mai…my fault…"

"You're attuned to Mai's frequency," he noted. It explained why he could not hear her well, but could when he was in contact with Mai. He scooped her hand into his own in order to understand.

"Yes. I'm…will she be all right?"

"How long have you been here?" Naru asked. He could not see the spirit, but he knew he was dealing with one. However, there was something different about this one. It seemed worried for Mai's sake. If so, it was a more complex problem than usual.

"Longer than Mai. …helped me, and I think…hurt her. …I do?"

"She's been letting you partially possess her, hasn't she?" Naru was beginning to see what was going on, and he did not like it one bit. He held Mai's hand tighter.

"Yes. …do something wrong? What…to make it better?"

"You need to move on right now. I could destroy you, but the effect on Mai would be disastrous. You need to leave of your own free will," he explained. A silence followed his statement. "The moment you leave, Mai will begin to feel better. To what extent, I don't know, but you being here and her allowing you access of her body is wrong. Her body is attempting to accommodate to two different people because you both have been using it over a long period of time. It's taking its toll and she will die if you don't leave. If you don't leave of your own free will, the portion of Mai that has somehow attached itself to you will be destroyed, and it could have a lasting effect on her personality and abilities."

"…I go?"

"She will be better if you go."

"Where…"

"You cross over. I don't know if this idiot has told you, but if you don't cross over you will remain stuck in this world forever. The chances of you ever crossing over become slimmer. The chances of you being forcibly removed or even destroyed increase," he said. "You need to leave now."

"…what if—"

"Dammit, just leave!" Naru's patience had ended. His temper began to cause a huge pressure in the room. "You want something finished or someone to be told something, _fine_, I'll do it for you if you leave now!"

A silence hung in the air, but Naru knew the spirit had not yet gone. Mai was getting paler and Naru was growing more fearful for the fate of this young girl. He should not have let her out of his sight. He should have realized she was being drained. He should have…

"…end of the story. …manuscript. …one last letter…Mai. …help, then I'll…okay?"

"You don't have the end of the story written down, but do you have the plan written out?" Naru asked. He now knew where those manuscripts—the ones Mai had become attached to the past year—had come from. He picked up a piece of paper and a pencil. "I will write the rest of your story up to par. Make the letter short, I will be taking my hand back in five minutes."

Naru had never seen his hand fly so fast in his whole life. The letter was done in one minute and was fairly legible.

"…bye, Mai."

Naru breathed easier when Mai's skin began to regain its color. He kept an eye on her as he took up his pen with his own hand and began to write.

* * *

Mai walked out of her room with a splitting headache. It had been there for a week, ever since Rose had stopped contacting her. Mai could not find the manuscript but saw that the stamps had been left out again. Rose must have sent it out while Mai had been asleep.

The girl walked over to the mail. Junk, junk, junk, work, bill, bill, work, junk, package? Mai flipped the package over. It was small and rectangular. It was wrapped snug and the girl could not decide if it was a DVD or a book. She decided to just open it.

The wrapping was sturdy, but not sturdy enough to defeat the great Taniyama Mai! Okay, so she had the help of a pair of scissors, so what? That fact aside, she now held in her hands something that was definitely a small book. Probably no larger than two hundred pages or so in size. She looked on the front.

It was the last of the trilogy. Mai's eyes widened and she let go of her head. It no longer throbbed and the girl took the next several hours to read the conclusion of Rose's tale.

* * *

Naru kept an eye on the time. Mai had been forced on a vacation by none other than himself while her house had been surrounded by discrete charms and wards. There was no way a ghost could get to her inside those four walls and she would be safe.

That was the only thought he could comfort himself with as he returned to his work. Glaring at the clock would not make tomorrow—and with it Mai—come any faster.

* * *

Mai sniffed as she concluded the series, happy that she could have helped Rose accomplish her dream. Of course, the ending was written a bit differently than Rose normally would have written it. She looked to the author's note at the very end for an answer.

_To my dear and faithful readers,_

_This is it! The last of my trilogy and, alas, the end of my career as a writer. Before I close this chapter of my existence, I wish to say a few things to those who helped me through my hardships._

_To my mother, who always knew I could spin a tale. Thanks for never giving up on me, and thanks for your kind words._

_To my father, who wanted nothing but the best for me. You were the best and thank you for helping me to see I could be the best for myself._

_To my editor, who always pushed me harder. Everyone needs a person like you. You get my iPod._

_To Mai friend, who enabled all of this to happen. Thank you, words can't express the kindness of what you've done for me and I hope that someday your kindness will return to you tenfold. I hope it will soon._

_To my readers, from the very first to the very last, I hope you all see yourselves as nothing less than what you truly are. On this trip of self-discovery, I hope you have each found within yourselves the strength to be yourselves, because the world would be a very dull place indeed without it._

_Goodbye to all, and good wishes for the future,_

_Hanajima Rosalie_

Mai's eyes blinked away the tears. To those who would not understand, they would think nothing of this. But if someone were to actually research her name—a name she had hidden under the use of pen name until now—they would realize they were reading the last words of a dead woman. And yet the story was not over.

Mai turned the page to find more writing. Yet another afterward.

_To the people who care to read this afterward,_

_I have not met you, nor you I. This is merely an explanation for those who care to know why the ending to this tale was not done in the stylistic taste of Hanajima-san. Hanajima-san passed on before this book was completed and left the task of its completion in my hands. Rest assured that this was the ending she wished to give you, as it was taken directly from her notes and written merely using my own style, which is vastly different from hers._

_I have also been asked to give you my input on this trilogy, which I will do now. The characters were in-depth and the plotline well-researched for a mere fantasy. The author put her time and effort into the creation of this story and it enhanced a story that would have otherwise been too much for simple-minded readers to enjoy. However, if there is one thing in this story that I will agree with, it is the quote that this entire series begins with._

"_Perhaps it is that the greatest of gifts come in the stupidest of packages."_

_May I never have to assist in writing a book such as this again,_

_Oliver Davis_

Mai's eyes widened.

_**AmyNChan: Okay, that's it, no more of this idea! XDDD**_

_**Mai: Why write it like that?**_

_**AmyNChan: Well, A) this is a tribute to one of the awesome people I beta, who was awesome enough to let me look at their original stories and help me with my editing skills and B) this was a chance to test out those new editing skills.**_

_**Mai: So, it's a test drive?**_

_**AmyNChan: Basically, yeah.**_

_**Mai: Cool.**_

_**AmyNChan: Yup, and now it's midnight, so I'mma sleep now. XD**_

_**Mai: Please don't forget to read and review!**_


	24. Her Mother's Smile

_**AmyNChan: Just a snippet I was thinking about for a while. *^_^***_

She never told anyone exactly why she cut her hair in middle school. Some thought that perhaps it had been a time of change, a time of growing. Others had thought that it was a statement.

They did not know it was her way of grieving. Of holding onto the dearly departed.

"Hey, mom. Hey, dad. I'm back," Mai Taniyama said brightly, greeting her parents' graves with the same smile as always. She took her snack and sat in front of the stone, talking and eating. She was enjoying a lunch with her parents.

It was something she had not thought she would be able to do only a few years prior. When her hair had been in braids and she had been almost dead in mourning.

"And then, you know what they did? They all started chanting, and it got kinda loud…"

Middle school had been tough on her. She had gotten by with the help of her teacher and the love of her friends around her. It had actually been Michiru to suggest she cut her hair. Keiko had been against it, thinking that similar haircuts would actually make things worse rather than better.

"…and I swear I've never been so scared in my life! Well, except for that time, but this was just as bad!"

When Mai had opened her eyes, she had seen a girl with her mother's eyes, her mother's hair, and her mother's face. But not her mother's smile.

"…but he came back around and now everything's back to normal. Kinda. If you know what normal is anymore…"

That had been the moment Mai had decided. Decided that while her mother was gone, she would stop moping about it. Decided that she would smile because the world did not need a woman with her mother's face and no smile.

"…got back into Shibuya and I had boatloads of homework to catch up on… I thought I was gonna drown underneath it all!"

That had been the beginning of Mai's road to recovery. When she had started to heal. When she had begun to smile for herself again.

"…my hair's getting long again… I wonder, should I let it grow or cut it again?"

The question was rhetorical. She would keep her hair short. So there would be a reason for her to smile. So there would not be a day where she would have her mother's eyes, her mother's hair, her mother's face, but not her mother's smile.

"I gotta go, but I'll come back and say hi again when the season changes, okay?"

With that, Mai Taniyama left a bouquet of flowers for her parents' graves. She left the cemetery with her mother's smile on her face.

_**AmyNChan: Okay, back to other storywriting. *^_^***_


	25. A Hint of a Threat: Alternative

_**AmyNChan: Okay, so before you guys read this, you need to read Snavej's A Hint of a Threat**_

_**Mai: Please note that this isn't actually what happens, it's just AmyChan's imagination.**_

_**AmyNChan: Yeah. Hey-!**_

_**Naru: Even among fanfiction you don't own the good storylines.**_

_**AmyNChan: Why you-!**_

_**Mai: AmyChan and Snavej don't own Ghost Hunt, and credit goes to Snavej for this great idea!**_

_**Naru: *glares***_

Mai rubbed her sore feet. This ball was stupid. Getting her old job had been stupid. She had been stupid. Why was she even here?

"What are you doing here?" her boss asked of her. She would have jumped in the air, but after about a month of his ways she had gotten the hang of how he could just appear out of no where. Mai sighed.

"I still can't dance. Yasuhara went to bed after I stepped on his foot for the twenty-third time," she explained. Naru sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You're embarrassing me and yourself."

"What do you want me to do about it?" she asked. Her face-already red with frustration-turned a darker hue when Naru extended his hand towards her. She looked at it for a moment before gulping.

"I'm going to make you look worse if you dance with me," she warned, though her heart was not in it. Naru was asking her to dance!

"I guarantee you won't."

She took his hand.

* * *

Masako was barely able to hide her frustration. He knew the rules of this game, but he still played how he chose. It irked her. She was pretty. She had vast influence. She could get him any information he desired. She could do anything for him. But he still paid more heed to that stupid assistant of his. Masako had thoughts that the girl did not even know of the world he belonged to.

The world they both belonged to.

She watched the pair dance gracefully around the ball, the murmurings of Kazuya Shibuya's assistant being a whore or the next piece of valuable property long since stopped. Masako watched with on with a green aura. She would fix this mess.

* * *

She saw her chance when the assistant was dismissed. Kazuya returned to her, as she knew he would. She, after all, held all the cards. She put forth her most dazzling smile. It seemed to give the other men she had...encountered...a pleasant feel, though the look in this one's eyes was something she was not familiar with.

"This ball is boring me," she said. She did her best to make her voice silky smooth. "Could you give me one final dance before escorting me to my room?"

There it was. That look in his eye. Masako could not define it. She merely ignored the glare that sent shivers up and down her spine. She placed her hand in his and counted a small victory from the assistant. She got the last dance.

* * *

"I left something behind. You go ahead and I'll come back," Masako smiled at him. There was his glare again. What could it mean? She turned to walk back to the ballroom when she realized he had not moved. She turned her gaze back onto him. "I have eyes everywhere, _Kazuya."_

And like that, he turned and resumed his path to her chambers. The thought made her giggle with delight. Oh, how she loved him! She continued on her way, eager to rid herself of one competitor. Of course she would not kill the girl. No, that would end her lovely setup. No, she would merely inform the girl that the man she had danced with earlier that night was a murderer.

A murderer that belonged to her.

There she was. She was sitting by a fountain. How clichéd. How horrible. Masako had thought the girl would be more alert given the nature of this function.

"I know you don't have any weapons. They patted us all down when we came in," the girl answered. Masako hid her surprise well.

"For all you know I could have meant to poison you. Or send someone after you," Masako returned. "I know of a very talented assassin. Loyal, strong, swift, merciless."

"Must not be anyone I know," the girl replied. Masako smirked.

"Oh, I think you do. He's got black hair and cream white skin. He's got blue eyes and a graceful posture. You danced with a murderer earlier tonight."

"I know."

Masako stopped. She knew? This girl knew? How did she know? What did she know? How much did she know? Why was damage control never implemented on this girl? Why does she know?

"Who are you?" she spat.

"Mai Taniyama."

That gave her a name.

"Well, Taniyama-san, I will say this once, and only once. The man you know as Kazuya Shibuya is mine. He loves me and I love him, so stay away from him."

"Can't do that. He's the boss."

How was this girl so calm?!

"I will have you killed."

"Okay."

Masako blinked. This was not the reaction she was going for. This was not part of the plan. Her fist curled in on itself. Why was she not scared? Why did she not plead? Why did she sit there and look so calm?!

"Hara-san, what would you say love is?" she asked.

"I do not have to answer you!"

"If you're going to kill me later, you might as well answer. I'm never going to get anywhere with him anyways."

Masako blinked. This girl…was already defeated. She let out a chuckle. She had already won.

Why not rub in her victory? At least just a little.

"Love is when you surrender your body to someone, where the two of you become one over and over and over again," she said proudly. The girl finally looked at her.

It was the face of innocent confusion.

"What's that look for?" she demanded.

"But what about other times?"

"What else is there?"

"You know, the times you know them mentally, the times you support each other, the times where you have each other's backs, the times when you're sad and only they can make it better again? What if one of you becomes paralyzed?"

"Nonsense!" Masako attempted to wave the notion away. "You're just a child, after all."

"So…what's hate?"

"Hate is the emotion that is a precursor to paying someone to kill the one that is hated or doing it yourself. A feeling I have had towards you."

"I see," Mai said. Masako was having fun with this. This girl had the feeling of one so utterly defeated! It was grand! She was the victorious one! She had him!

"Do you ever know when someone hates you?" she asked. Masako resisted the urge to nod. Let the girl flounder for her answers. Maybe then she would see that Kazuya probably hated her for intervening on his time with herself!

Perhaps he would look at her with those same angry-filled eyes that he always looked at her with.

"So, you know, when someone hates you then you can—Hara-san?"

Masako was no longer listening. Her mind was going backwards to only a few moments before. When that man had pinned her with a look that her whole body trembled. She thought that was normal for love. For your hands to be sweaty and for your palms to be clammy. To have your heart beat at an inhumane pace and for your breathing to become shallow. To always be uneasy and to never feel safe. That was love. Love was surrendering one's whole body to another. Right?

Right?

She turned and made her way to her room, ignoring the feeble calls of the feeble defeated assistant. She had to know. She had to know he loved her. She had to.

She burst the door open of her chambers. He was there. His ebony hair was still gorgeous. His skin was still white as cream. His posture was still graceful, so much so that her heart beat faster than it had been before. He was still there. She waited for him to turn, to look—

And he did. He pierced her with those sapphire eyes, pinning her with a look that almost brought her to her knees. Her breath caught in her throat and she felt her foot slide backwards, out of the door. Out of her own room.

She was being childish. This man loved her!

He loved her!

He loved her…

He loved…her.

He loved that girl.

He hated her.

He hated her.

And hate was the precursor to execution. And he was the most talented assassin she had met.

So she ran. As quickly as she could. Out of her room, down the stairs, past the fountain. She ran. She ran and ran and ran.

She had no control. It was taken from her. Taken by that foul, loathsome witch of a girl! Taken by the outsider! By that brat!

Masako's broken heart became the fuel for something else. Her rage. Her love had been stolen from her by naught but a few words. The cruelty. The injustice. She halted in her tracks, a long distance from the main house. She would have her revenge on both of them. She would stop at nothing to see them both suffer.

She _would_ make them suffer. And then he would be begging for her love. And she would have the satisfaction of watching him kneel before her.

_**AmyNChan: Bwahahahahahaaaa!**_

_**Masako: *takes off the Darth Vader mask* Are you serious?**_

_**AmyNChan: What? It's easier to hate you this way.**_

_**Masako: I will take that as a compliment.**_

_**AmyNChan: How?!**_

_**Masako: Please read and review and go read Snavej's A Hint of a Threat**_

_**AmyNChan: Oi, you didn't answer me...!**_


	26. Happy Birthday, NIA-chan!

_**AmyNChan: I MADE IT!**_

_**Mai: Just barely!**_

_**AmyNChan: I don't own anything in this story!**_

She was in her own living room. Sitting down, playing a game, the usual. Video games were something she was good at. Other than writing stories that people loved to read, she also loved to game. Her blonde hair was tied back to help her focus. She wore a different pair of ripped jeans and flip-flops, a different shirt, but the same jacket as before. She jerked the controller to the right in order to cross the finish line.

"I got it!" she cried out victoriously, finishing in first once more. Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she picked it up.

The text she received made her smile.

* * *

"I'm so booored.." Mai groaned quietly. The work was finished and there were no appointments. Her homework was complete and in her bag. There was also something _else_ in her bag…

But no, she should not pull it out now.

But maybe just for a little bit?

No, Naru would find her and she would get in trouble.

But just one would not hurt.

But…

Her hand found itself reaching deeper and deeper into her bag, retrieving the item that caused such a conflict within her. Slowly but surely, it came out of her backpack.

The glorious DS.

Before she could stop herself, a game was in and the sound was off. She was in a race for the finish. Left, right, jump, left, left, tunnel, points!

* * *

Oliver Davis was a studious man. He liked to complete his research and compile results efficiently so that on days where he had nothing to do, he could continue to publish valuable scientific evidence in favor of the existence of the paranormal.

This was what he was doing when there was a sudden unbidden lapse in concentration. Such things had been known to happen on occasion. Whenever this happened, it was a good idea to allow the eyes some time to adjust, perhaps walk for a few moments in order to prolong the ability to work in the future.

So that was what the man did. He took a brief stroll to the door of his office and opened it.

Now, the lobby was a place of business. Where work—either from school or the actual workplace although the latter was preferred—was completed. It was not under any circumstance, an arcade. However, this seemed to fly over the head of his assistant as she had her face buried into her console, her eyebrows scrunched together in concentration. He waited for a few moments to see if she would not his entrance.

She did not.

He debated slightly with the notion of simply telling her to get back to work and to cut out the child play. The idea lost in favor of seeing which ridiculous game she was playing in order to better understand what took up the girl's time while she was bored. Perhaps the information would prove useful on long car rides as to keep him from listening to her prattle.

He walked with his normal grace around the couch until he was right behind the girl in question. Mai had not noticed his approach, too focused was she on the game. And the game had Oliver rolling his eyes.

Mario Kart online. And she was currently in second place.

"There's a shortcut," Oliver pointed out as she completely bypassed the entrance. Yet the raven haired man was entertained anyways. Mai had jumped out of her seat, fallen to the floor, and allowed her cart to ram straight into a wall, slipping her all the way down to twelfth place.

"Naru!" she accused in her normal manner. Her face was flushed and she was angry as per usual. Oliver kept his face passive.

"Shouldn't you be doing your work instead of playing videogames?" he asked of her.

"Mou! I'm already done!" she complained.

_Perfect_.

"Then you can work on the next batch of cases I need you to file," he said, going into his office to retrieve the extra load. He could hear her groan from inside his office and allowed himself a smirk she could not see. She was so easy to mess with.

The screen lay on the ground, flashing the name of the winner.

* * *

-Happy Birthday, Nia- The text read. –How's your new game?-

-Great- Nia responded. –I just beat one of the racing champs! Though she ended up crashing into a wall on the last lap-

-Too bad. Anyway, enjoy your game!-

-Thanks!-

And off Nia went to win more races and get more assistants into trouble.

_**AmyNChan: There was gonna be more, but life got hectic and this is all I could do... ;_;**_

_**Mai: Aw, I got in trouble!**_

_**AmyNChan: The 'more' bit was actually Naru challenging both of you to a race, but it didn't end up happening. ^^;**_

_**Mai: Aw...**_

_**AmyNChan: Maybe next time. In any event, even though it's late, go say Happy Birthday to NaruIsAwesome, because she's awesomer than Naru~! *^_^***_

_**HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NIA-CHAN!**_


	27. Rehearsal

_**AmyNChan: Okay, don't kill me because this is just plain awful, but I tried... XD**_

_**Mai: In case anyone's confused, this is AmyChan's attempt at a parody.**_

_**AmyNChan: In this one, Mai's a part of a local theatre as a stress relief and she and Naru are already together.**_

_**Naru: Chan-san does not own Ghost Hunt or the movie we are parodying.**_

_**AmyNChan: And if you guys think it's somewhat good, thank Snavej, because she put me up to this. XDDD**_

"No."

"But, Naru—!"

"I'm not doing it."

"But I need to rehearse!"

"Pick someone else."

"Fine! I'll just leave your apartment and go kiss John, then!"

"Mai."

"Yea—_Hey!_ Naru! That's my script!"

"Do you want to rehearse or not?"

* * *

"Now what are you doing in he-here?" Naru recited perfectly. His face, however, was blank.

"Naru! You're supposed to blink and gasp!" Mai complained. "This is the girl who's going to make your con work!"

"I hardly believe such a reaction is appropriate. A simple nod would have sufficed. Such over display would scare the girl away."

"Naru! That's not in his character..." Mai continued to gripe. Naru only shook his head at the girl who was supposed to be practicing her lines, not bickering with him.

* * *

"There's a last name that goes with that?" Naru asked, pretending to probe for information. Mai rose her hand towards her face with perplexed features.

"Actually—this is gonna sound crazy—I don't...know my last name. I was found...wandering around when I was eight years old..." she said, trailing off with a motion of her hands.

"And how did this character know she was eight? Surely she had to have _some_ clue of who she was otherwise she would not have been able to give an age," Naru stated. Mai glared at him.

"You're making this very difficult."

* * *

Naru sat next to his girlfriend on the couch where she was slouching terribly. She was fiddling with a nonexistent necklace and looking completely bored out of her mind.

"Stop fiddling with that thing and sit up straight. Remember, you're a grand duchess," Naru reminded her. In response, she only frowned and slouched further.

"How is it that you know what grand duchesses do or don't do?" Mai questioned.

"The one intelligent question of this play thus far," Naru muttered. "And yet when he answers ambiguously, she seems to accept that without another thought. Is she lacking intelligence?"

"You keep this up and I'll never get my lines, Naru," Mai complained.

* * *

"Do you really think I'm royalty?" she asked, looking sarcastically thoughtful. Naru bit back his own sarcastic comment and proceeded with the lines.

"You know I do."

"Then stop bossing me around," Mai told him, an almost feral growl coming from her throat. Naru smirked and rose an eyebrow. It took less than two seconds of this before Mai was completely red in the face, muttering something about narcissistic boyfriends.

"You're gonna make me mess up..."

"I did nothing."

"...jerk."

* * *

"Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot," Naru stated tactfully as Mai hid her face behind a book. Granted, the book was upside down, but she was hiding behind it nonetheless. She peeked out from behind it.

"Well, I think we did, too." She hid behind the book again. She peered out again. "But I appreciate your apology."

"Apology? Who said anything about an apology, I was just saying—"

"Please, don't talk anymore, all right? It's only gonna upset me," Mai stated, looking accurately disgruntled.

"Fine, this character was annoying me anyways," Naru stated as he got up and left the couch. Mai slammed the book beside her and went to chase her boyfriend.

"Naru!"

* * *

Mai pretended to sleep on the couch, curled up cutely. Even though her boyfriend was normally an ice cube, even he was aware of how adorable she was at that moment. What infuriated him most was that she was doing it subconsciously and that she would be doing that on stage in front of several hormonal teenage boys.

The joys of having Mai Taniyama as a girlfriend.

"Hey," he said, shaking her knee in order to 'wake her up'. It was a cue of sorts for her, elsewise he would not bother.

Her hand flew up rapidly and Naru almost got hit by it. He glared at the girl. "Why would she have an inborn reflex to assault anyone who tried to wake her?"

"She was in an orphanage. Maybe it was one of the bad ones?"

"The caretaker of that orphanage was a woman."

"We've dealt with stranger."

"Touché."

* * *

"The baggage car?" Mai asked. She was not disgruntled when Naru did not give the nervous shrug that his character should have. She simply trudged on. "There wouldn't be anything wrong with our papers, now would there maestro?"

"Of course not, your grace," Naru stated before scanning the rest of the page. "And as you have no more lines to practice, I'm going to point out that this amount of flattery and charm is not going to work for him. She seems to have gained enough intelligence to question how ethical he is."

"And yet _he's _the one she falls for in the end..." Mai said, rolling her eyes. Naru rose an eyebrow.

* * *

"We're going way too fast!" Mai fake-shouted. Enough so it would sound like they were on a speeding train, but not so much to hurt anyone's ears.

"Nobody is driving this train," Oliver stated, walking over to a section of the room. "We're going to have to jump."

"Did you say 'jump'?" Mai asked, her face adequately worried. She knelt on the ground facing the 'audience' and looked properly sarcastic. She turned to Naru—who remained standing—and gestured before her. "After you!"

"Was he not outside the train literally moments ago? He could have known that was a bad idea simply by taking in his surroundings," Naru pointed out. Mai groaned.

"Well, not everyone expects the train to get hijacked by revenge-driven demons," she said with exasperation.

* * *

"Come on, there's gotta be something in there better than this," Naru stated, holding out his hand. Mai pretended to have a passive face as she handed him a toilet paper roll. He looked at her with a dead panned expression.

"What? Just pretend it's a stick of dynamite," she complained.

"It's physically impossible to wedge a slender stick of dynamite in a coupling of a train moving that fast. Toilet paper is just ridiculous."

"It's just a play, Naru!"

* * *

"...we've got plenty of track, we'll just coast to a stop," Naru stated, refusing to do the gestures once more. Mai had learned to just ignore that and merely did the blocking herself.

After a few moments, she wobbled on her feet and then rightened herself. She looked stage right, gasped, and then turned towards Naru.

"You were saying?"

"This is an easy line and needn't be rehearsed."

"Jerk!"

* * *

"Hand me the chain," Naru stated, lying on his back. He did this only so Mai could pull him up later. The girl stood over him with a small rope. "Not you."

"Vlad's busy at the moment," she stated with a snarky frown. Naru shook his head and took the rope from her. After a few moments, he allowed himself to act just a bit.

"No, no!"

Mai grabbed his hand and attempted to pull him up, but he got another idea. He jerked downwards on her hand and managed to topple her on top of him. She fell with a graceless thud onto his chest.

"Weren't you supposed to be pulling me up?" Naru asked, not a shred of emotion making its way into his tone. Yet the smirk on his face told all that he was very amused.

"You did that on purpose!" the girl accused.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yes you do!"

Naru smirked as the girl continued to argue with him. He noted that she chose not to get up.

* * *

Naru was scanning through the script in order to see what Mai wanted to rehearse next when a scoff escaped his throat.

"What is it now?" Mai asked, still not looking at him for embarrassing her so much.

"There is no way a single chain would have stopped a running train. It would have snapped under the immediate tension."

"It's just a play, wiseguy!"

* * *

"Are we gonna walk to Paris?" Mai asked.

"We'll take a boat in Germany."

"Oh, then we're walking to Germany."

"No, your grace, we're taking a bus."

"A bus..." Mai said slowly. "That's good."

"The word is 'nice'," Naru corrected, holding the script in his hand. Mai frowned. "Does it matter which word I use?"

"Yes. Elsewise there's no point in my doing this with you."

"...jerk."

"Do you have no other insult for me?"

"...big jerk."

* * *

"But I thought we were going to see the Empress herself," Mai stated. "Why are we going to see her cousin?"

"Because these men are con artists and want nothing more than her money."

"Would you _not_ do that!?"

"It's the truth."

* * *

"...what?" Naru asked of an invisible third person. They waited a few moments before Mai turned back to him.

"Gentlemen, start your teaching."

"I am not singing."

"But Naru—!"

"No."

"Please!"

"No."

"Please, Naru!"

"No."

"But..."

"No."

* * *

"Here, I bought you a dress," Naru said, holding up one of his own shirts as a prop. Mai giggled as she grabbed the bottom edges of it.

"You bought me...tent," she said as she peered inside. Naru looked into the head.

"What are you looking for?"

"The Russian Circus, I think it's still in here!" Mai responded happily. Naru drew his head away and tossed the shirt on her.

"Come on, just put it on."

"Okay!" she responded happily as she rushed into Naru's bathroom. The boy frowned.

"I didn't mean it literally."

"Still putting it on."

"Mai—"

"Yes?" she asked, coming out of the bathroom. "It's a costume change!"

Naru shook his head, no longer having the heart to tell her to change back into her own shirt. Even though she was such a bright person normally, his black shirt looked really good on her.

* * *

"I'm...I'm not very good at it," Naru said as he walked over to Mai. He did not even pretend to be dragged over. Mai rolled her eyes.

"Is that the line talking or are you actually not good at it? Because I need to know how to waltz for this scene," Mai said seriously. Naru rose an eyebrow and held out his hand. She took it gingerly and he pulled her close.

"It's about who's leading, Mai," Naru stated, gently pushing her backwards as he stepped forwards. The brunette tripped a little bit, but her boyfriend caught her by the waist and easily regained step. After a few moments of fumbling, the girl was able to find the rhythm that he had been using.

It took leaning her head on his chest to realize he had been going by the pulse of his heart.

Naru knew that she still had to learn some lines for this scene, but having her close trumped his relatively minor need to tell her that she was procrastinating. He would help her with it if it meant a few more moments like this.

* * *

"Wake up," Naru commanded the girl who pretended to be in a somewhat fitful sleep. Her eyes snapped open and she ceased her attempts to pound his chest. She looked around wildly before beginning to mumble.

"The... curse!" she said wildly before ducking her head into his chest and wrapping her arms around him tightly. "I keep seeing faces, so many faces..."

"Nightmare..." Naru muttered. Mai sighed dramatically, but did not let go of her boyfriend.

"You can't say the line right?"

"I'm not the one rehearsing."

* * *

"There was a boy... a boy who worked in the palace..." Mai said, scrunching her face to remember her lines. "He opened the servants' quarters..."

"Wrong."

"What's the line, then?"

"'He opened a wall'."

"That doesn't make any sense..."

"Its intention is to be nonsense, as stated in the next line."

"Ooh!"

"Do it again."

"There was a boy..."

* * *

"Please, Naru?" Mai asked, her eyes wide and pleading. She held onto the sheets with a faint hope...

"No."

"But I need to know my notes!"

"I'm not singing."

"But, Naru!"

"No."

* * *

"You want to tell me something?" Mai asked, holding onto Naru's shirt with her hands. She had _still_ not changed back into her normal attire.

"Wrong."

"Mou! What's the line again?"

"Here," Naru said, passing the script to her. She read it over furiously, attempting to commit the lines to memory.

* * *

"It was all a lie, wasn't it?" Mai asked, her face betraying the adequate amount of hurt. "You _used_ me? I was just part of your con to get her money?"

Naru did not bother to spout denials, merely allowed her to stalk away angrily. He merely picked up with the last line in order to give her a cue. "You are."

"Stop it! From the very beginning you_ lied_!" Mai said, pushing him backwards lightly. He took a few steps backward to humor her. "And I not only believed you, I actually—ugh!"

Again, Naru did not say anything until the line she needed to pay attention to most. He grabbed her hands—to help with her blocking—and stated, "That was—"

"No! I don't wanna hear about anything I said or remembered, you just leave me alone!" she spat angrily. Naru grabbed her forearm and she turned to—

"I thought you would have _wanted_ to slap me," Naru stated, somewhat intrigued by the fact that her hand was in the air, poised to strike. Yet it remained in the air.

"I can't right now..." she muttered. "Let's just do the next scene, I've got the lines for this one."

Naru said nothing but picked up the lines anyway. Why on earth Mai had gotten into local theatre was beyond him.

* * *

"This is for Dimitri!" Mai yelled as she stomped on the toilet paper. Naru watched silently.

"This is for my family!" she stated as she brought her foot down again.

"And this—this is for you!" she said, keeping the toilet paper away from an unseen enemy.

"Sayonara!"

"Mai."

"Let me guess—wrong?" the girl asked, a frustrated frown on her face. "I can't ever get that word right."

"Repeat after me: Das."

"Dasu."

"No. Da-ss."

"Da-su."

* * *

Naru groaned as he got up, an indication for Mai to start her next part. She spun around hastily and gently whacked Naru upside the face.

"Dimitri!" she said, wincing at the 'pain' she had caused. Then she seemed to forget it as she pounced on him, engulfing him in a hug.

"Let go, let go," Naru stated, reciting the lines perfectly.

"Sorry," Mai stated, putting her hand on his shoulder and looking appropriately concerned.

"I know, I know, all men are babies," Naru stated, and then wrinkled his nose. "Why would he admit to that?"

"Naru!"

* * *

"I thought you were going to—"

"I was," Naru stated. Mai looked confused and slightly hopeful at once.

"You didn't take the—"

"I...couldn't."

"Why?" she asked. Naru knew he had to say one more thing, but honestly having Mai in the living room of his apartment in his shirt looking at him that way was impossible to resist. He drew her in for a kiss.

"That's not a part of the script," Mai protested weakly when he let her go. He smirked.

"I know."

* * *

"This sucks!" Mai yelled before sneezing. She used her tissue to wipe her nose. "Why do I have to get sick on show night...?"

"You were the idiot who wanted to prance around in the rain," Naru reminded her as she sneezed again.

"Mou! I worked so hard for that role, too!" the girl complained. Naru did not say a word, but internally he was grateful.

Only he got to kiss his girlfriend.

_**AmyNChan: *dies* Also, leave me a review telling me what you think the parodied movie was. XD  
**_


	28. According to You

_**AmyNChan: I needed to write this. I don't own Ghost Hunt.**_

"Idiot," Naru muttered as he pulled Mai once again from the curb. The girl blinked herself back into reality, having immersed herself in deep conversation with the ghost they were attempting to save. She tried to shake her head of Naru's antics, concentrating only on what needed to be done.

"_Help me... this way..."_

"Idiot," he said once again. Mai jerked her arm away from his warning hand.

"Naru, the Lei wants me to go that way, so I will," she announced. She began to walk away from him in order to cool off, but he annoyingly persisted. "Go away."

"No."

"Why not?"

"You're too idiotic to do this right on your own," Naru said. Blunt, as usual, about what he thought of her capabilities. "You need my help."

"Bullshit," Mai snapped, done with his holier-than-thou attitude. She turned on him, an anger deep in her eyes. "I don't need your help, I can do this just fine on my own!"

"Previous experience tells me otherwise."

"That was three years ago! It's time to let it go," Mai argued. "You promised you would let me have a shot at this on my own in order to 'evaluate my barely discernible skills'."

Naru seemed to pay no heed to the quotations marks she placed around the last five words.

"You were late to work this morning."

Seriously? That was his excuse? Her tardiness?

"I told you, the bus shut down and my backup plan is in the hospital! I did the best I could," Mai told him. He turned away. He was ignoring her now! The injustice of this... this—!

"Excuses are all you offer me. Until you actually do something of worth, I will continue to assist," Naru said. Mai's eyes widened. Something of worth?

Something. Of. Worth!?

"You're nothing like your brother. At least he gives me a chance before saying anything," Mai muttered darkly. She knew it was a low blow, but she did not care. As unfair as he was being to her, she would be to him. "And actually, he thinks I'm quite competent. He says that my skills have gotten better over the past few months you've been here while _you_ have been putting me on the bench for no good reason at all. He thinks I'm doing well and he thinks I have potential and he thinks that I actually have a good personality to make it in this business!"

"He's an idiot," Naru stated. His eyes were filled with cold fury, but Mai could not care. She was on a roll.

"Really? Because according to you, I'm stupid and useless and can't do anything right," she announced. "You think I'm always late, that I'm just a disaster waiting to happen, and that you're the poor victim who has to put up with me! Well, no one asked you to! I can take care of myself!"

"No, you can't."

"Bullshit!" Mai yelled. "And I'd rather hang out with someone who makes me feel appreciated than someone who thinks I'm just an accident waiting to happen!"

She turned away from him and stalked off into the street, tears in her eyes. It was then that she realized everything she had shouted in rage was true. Naru thought of her in the worst manner possible. She could get nowhere with him. All he thought was that she was a waste of his time or the assistant he always had to save. He did not enjoy her company and would rather do more productive things with his work.

Because according to him, she was completely worthless.

_I bet Gene would be nicer..._ she thought mournfully.

A blaring horn.

A lot of pain.

A lot of blood.

A lot of darkness.

A friendly face.

"Hello, Mai," Gene said sadly, taking her hand.

_**AmyNChan: Angst was absolutely necessary. Based loosely on the song "According to You".**_


	29. What is Love?

_**AmyNChan: Woah... look what I found! XDD**_

_**Mai: This is old...**_

_**AmyNChan: I'll say! I started it September last year! Dang!**_

_**Mai: AmyChan doesn't own Ghost Hunt!**_

Love is often painted as a selfish affair. Girls look for storybook endings and their "perfect prince charming"s. Guys look for girls that will make them feel good and maybe look good on their arm.

I suppose that this mentality begins even before any of us watch an amorous movie or read tales of perilous romantic wonder. It starts, I think, with how we are treated as children. Parents sacrifice for their children so they can have everything they could ever want or need. This is a child's definition of love. To gain.

As the child grows, they will see their parents interact. Most children are not exposed to many of the fights between their parents, and are led to believe that "love" between a mommy and daddy is filled with eternal happiness. I suppose that's where the idea of love being blissful and without troubles comes from. This is often the idea reinforced by mass media for many years.

For a long time, I was among the girls who held to this idea of "perfect love", filled only with happiness and no troubles at all. If it had problems, then it _obviously_ was not love and was obviously _not_ worth my time. How selfish is that?

My answer before Naru would probably have been to think about how _I_ was _different_ than those girls who fantasized over a happy ending. I, who had already been exposed to the harsh realities of the world far earlier the a child should, _obviously_ knew that love would have to be another process that demanded hard work that resulted in an imperfect but happy relationship.

But now? I look at myself and see that perhaps I had been just as keen as others of my age to find that ever elusive key to happiness. A key, which I now realize, I had hoped would come in the form of a man. Naru, most definitely, is _not_ such a thing.

Any girl still in her "Prince Charming" phase would turn their nose up at him after talking with him for a little while. Any female hoping to change him _into_ a "Prince Charming" would probably quit after two hours. Three tops. After all, he is far too stubborn to be anything he most certainly is not. No, Naru is not for a dreamer or a romantic, that is for sure.

So what would bring me, one of those doomed dreamers, to a prideful mule of a man like Naru? I _know_ he is blunt, am perfectly _aware_ of his obstinate personality, _realize_ that he is _the_ most _infuriating_ personality I have _ever_ had the misfortune of meeting, and yet I love him.

I love him.

No, this is not a child's love. I do not expect anything from him. No, this is not a rose-colored love. I know that we have our issues and are bound to pick fights, get into arguments, and have miscommunications every now and again. This, to me, is yet another definition of love. One that is difficult to put into only so many words.

When I say that I love him, that does not mean that I am only infatuated by his good looks, rare smiles, or status in society. It does not mean that I dream of what he _could_ be, ignore what he _is_, and attach myself to a mere figment of imagination. How cruel would that be?

No, I love _him_. He has so many quirks in his personality. Things which he does not see as a positive have drawn me in. His tendency to be blunt. While most would see it as no tact-a point of view I occasionally share-I view it as his honesty. His single track mind. While it can lead to him ignoring the entire world while he puzzles something out, it reveals his determination. His scientific explanation for _everything_. While it can drive a person fueled by faith to insanity, it shows he is a smart man.

That fact in itself impresses an infuriates me. He is so lucky I love him sometimes.

He's not my prince charming. Not a picture-perfect identification of mass-media love. Not flawless or easy or without his pride. He is simply Naru. An intelligent, blunt, single-track minded, infuriating man who has somehow wiggled his way into my heart.

And I love him just as he is.

_**AmyNChan: Okay, hope y'all enjoyed that! Also, if you have a chance, please check out my profile. Any signal boosting or donations could help! Details on the profile!**_

_**Mai: On the topic of this fanfiction, please review!**_

_**AmyNChan: Yus!**_


	30. A job is lost

_**AmyNChan: So... I lost my job and this was a bit of leftover rant.**_

_**Mai: Leftover rant? What...?  
**_

_**AmyNChan: I'll explain later. For now, I don't own Ayako!**_

"We're really sorry," the woman apologized again, causing the red headed woman to huff in irritation. All of it was playful, of course. She could not be so angry at the woman as to completely brush her off over this. In fact, she had seen it coming for a long time now.

"Don't be. I'm the one always gallivanting off to do my amazing exorcisms," Ayako responded. "Even before then I was always trying something new. This was bound to happen sooner or later."

"We really didn't want this to happen..." the elder woman mourned. Ayako took a breath and stopped, the clicking of her high heels echoing around the empty hospital hallway. The elder woman looked at the red head with confusing in her eyes and a question on her tongue. Ayako shook her head.

"Hannah, you don't have to be sorry. With how things have been going you need everyone at their best all the time and that's something I can't give. I haven't been able to give it here for a while and the board knew that," Ayako explained. She gave Hannah a smile. "We both knew someone was getting fired. Better me than someone else."

"But your parents—"

"—are fine," Ayako insisted. "They don't build my future. I do. I'm going to be a paranormal investegator, I'm going to cleanse homes and people, and I'm going to do it without breaking any of my perfect nails!"

Hannah giggled at the comment, knowing her friend would hate for anything to happen to her nails or perfect makeup. She looked at her hands, as if withholding Ayako's final check would somehow allow her to stay.

"I'm going to miss you..." she whispered. Ayako's eyes softened.

"Do you need a hug?"

Hannah nodded. Ayako gave the woman a tight squeeze, comforting her even though it was Ayako who had been let go. The embrace was brief, but when both parted they wore sad smiles.

"You gonna be okay?" Hannah asked. Ayako nodded.

"Of course! Have you forgotten so quickly who I am?" she proclaimed. When Hannah laughed lightly, Ayako took the moment to slip the check from her hands and begin her trek to the door, her head held high. Hannah raced after her and stopped at the hospital doors, watching her friend walk away from the lifestyle that had meant so much to her.

"Bye, Ayako!" the girl called. But Ayako dared not turn back. Dared not say another word.

It absolutely would not do for her former manager to see her cry.

_**AmyNChan: Okay. I hold no resentment for my manager, my coworkers, or the woman who hired me. They are all amazing people. Like Ayako, it hurt, but I kind of understood where they were coming from.**_

_**Mai: But?**_

_**AmyNChan: If you're not religious, I don't apologize. If you are religious, please join me in celebration. I GOT A JOB OFFER AND IT WAS TOTALLY A GOD THING BECAUSE I HAD LOST MY JOB AND I WENT AND DID SOMETHING I WAS GOING TO DO ANYWAY AND THEN SOMETHING EXTRODINARY HAPPENED AND I WAS OFFERED ANOTHER JOB! WITHIN THE HALF HOUR!**_

_**Mai: ...what?**_

_**AmyNChan: I'm not sure how much I should share, but God has blessed me tremendously. All I can say is I love my friends, my family, and my God. Through Him, I can do all things. He's blessed me so much more than I deserve, and I want everyone to be able to see the little blessings he's pouring out everywhere. Just... this is my definition of joy. *^_^***_

_**Mai: Uh-huh...**_

_**Ayako: Okay, other than that. If you liked the story about me, leave a review.**_

_**AmyNChan: Hey...**_

_**Mai: Bye-bye!**_


	31. Here to Help

_**AmyNChan: NEW CHAPTEEERS! SPOILEEERSSS! YOU'VE BEEN WAAAARNED! I DON'T OWN GHOST HUUUUNT!**_

_If he were here…_

I am not the type of person to allow myself such thoughts. There either is or is not a solution. Perhaps I was grasping at straws. Perhaps I was more fearful for the safety of my companions than I was letting on.

Regardless, my plea was heard. A strange occurrence. A miracle, as it were. He had said he could not contact me, that he had been trying. Mai had confirmed it not one day ago. One stray torchlight had shown me.

"Is this the time to be fascinated by your reflection?!"

How impudent. Would I waste my time on something so frivolous? Of course, I had been the one to make a silly wish. A far-off hope. Perhaps he had some merit to that question after all.

"…surely not!" Mai yelled. "you can't use your PK, Naru! You absolutely can't use it! If you collapse again—!"

"Eugene."

Knowing that only the two of us will really see, I point my torchlight back into the room. Mai comes closer and it is then that I know my wish has been granted.

"…it's true."

"Mai?" Hara-san's utterance sounds frightened. Perhaps she could not see him as Mai and I could. But Mai's validation was truly all I needed to continue this plan.

"In the mirror… it's not reflecting Naru. That is…"

I could only turn my head away, knowing that my reflection would refuse to do so. It continued to shine a torchlight in our direction, smiling as he always did when he had come to help.

"It's Gene…"

_**AmyNChan: I'M SPAZZING OMIGOSH, GENE! AAAAAHHHHHHH!**_


	32. If the house were to catch fire

_**AmyNChan: I'm blaming Treelow for this one. XD We were talking about the lastest chapter and I said what if Naru would set the house aflame, and then we got talking about how he must still be angry at Hirota for his horrible accusations. Thus, this happened. I know Naru's a bit OOC, but I do hope you enjoy it. *^_^***_

_**Hirota-san: AmyChan doesn't own Ghost Hunt... *glares hatefully at AmyNChan***_

"Gah!" Hirota could not restrain the sound that came from his chest as he was flung—yet again—into the wall. He wished that stupid Oliver Davis would hurry up!

Almost on que, the boy rushed into the largest of the invaders, holding something in his hands.

"What is that?" Hirota coughed.

"My 'stun gun'. Who can walk after being burned?" he asked as he dropped his light. Hirota's eyes widened. The brat had poured oil all over the house while he had been busy with the intruders!

"Y-you!"

"I had to make them leave. Obviously Gene cannot help me from beyond the grave."

"You'll kill us all!"

"The haunting will stop. Mai and the others are safely away and the intruders have already run, their survival instincts finally kicking in."

"I won't let you!"

Oliver turned, the fire licking the inside of the house already. Hirota attempted to scramble to his feet, but an intense pressure was put upon him. He cursed and tried to find what had landed atop him.

But there was nothing there.

"You accused me of murder. If I allow you to leave, you will—no doubt—attempt to force me to leave as well."

"Hey!"

"That cannot happen."

"What about your team!?"

Oliver turned to him, an expressionless mask on his face.

"They will live without me."

The fire licked the structure, having already spread too far and much too quickly. Hirota struggled under the pressure, cursing himself for coming to an end at the hands of a sociopath.

"Let me go!"

Oliver appeared not to have heard him, but instead watched as the house began to crumble horribly. Shrieks could be heard from the outside. Hirota saw his chance.

"Do you hear that? That's Taniyama-san!"

"I'm aware."

"Then why don't you care?"

Oliver turned to the detective, no emotion on his face. He opened his mouth to speak.

But the only thing Hirota was aware of was now darkness. He grumbled angrily. He supposed the best time to believe in spirits was when he actually became one.

Damn that Oliver brat.

_**AmyNChan: ehe.. byebye! *flees***_


	33. Forbidden Light

_**AmyNChan: Look what I found! o.o I don't own Ghost Hunt!**_

I reached out for a source of light

Instead, I dragged her deep into the night

By the time I knew to set her free

She was taken far from me

Now I know, in my darkest night

Not to reach for forbidden light


End file.
